Dangerous Addiction
by BandBelong
Summary: Booth and Brennan's secret affair turns from innocent to dangerous when her boyfriend discovers them and jealousy and anger run on a high....UPDATED...CH10...finally!
1. Double Jeopardy

It's strange how fast changes can come. How they sneak up behind you, without even a moments notice. They lure you into a false sense of reality. Making you feel like everything will just stay the same. That maybe you can keep that lulling comfort of the familiar. If you hold on hard enough, maybe it won't slip through your fingers.

She had tried to hold on, tried to keep some semblance of logic in her head. She wanted to listen to her head. To what she knew was right. But her heart kept intervening.

There relationship seemed to have changed in the blink of an eye. It had shifted without warning. She wasn't prepared. But then again, with Booth, when was she ever?

It wasn't like the way fall comfortably drifted into winter. That gave warning. The leaves would drop slowly, until the trees were nothing more then barren silhouettes. Nights got cooler, and snow dusted you hair as you stepped out in the morning.

No, this was more of the kind of change that she had no time to prepare for. They had been thrust together faster and harder then she was prepared for. She didn't even think she wanted this anymore. She had Darcy, and that should have been enough.

But it wasn't.

Something about being with Booth in secret kept pulling her back. It was wrong. And dangerous. And still she couldn't keep herself away.

She'd never cheated before. And although she believed that monogamy was completely unreasonable, she found herself caught in limbo. Booth was Booth. But Darcy….the more time she spent with Booth, the more the horrible guilt ate away inside of her.

And she had tried. She wanted to breakaway from him. And he had tried to do the right thing. Pull away from her. She was in a relationship.

But still…she found herself with him. She'd come over to give him the case file. Telling herself that was all. She had dinner plans, and she and Booth were a physical attraction. Smoldering chemistry. That's all it was. She could restrain herself.

_I'll keep telling myself that till its true._

And yet, she couldn't help but kiss him back hard as they found their way to the couch. He let her down carefully, his body hovering inches over hers, their lips locked together.

She moaned lightly as his lips attacked her collar bones, his fingers pulling down the loose straps of her tank top.

Biting her lip, she arched her back lightly as the sensation of his touch sent shivers down her spine.

She tried to regain some semblance of consciousness, but as his fingers traveled across her hips, pulling her shirt over her head, she failed miserably.

She ran her fingers through his hair as he kissed her shoulders, his hands exploring her torso.

"Booth, you know, I'm just here to give you the case file, that's it."

He nodded, "Uh huh. The file," He reached across the coffee table, lifting it and letting it drop with a significant thump so she could tell it was there. "Very important."

She laughed, as his lips found hers. His hand slid up the curve of her waist, and just as his fingers were about to find the clasp of her bra, they were interrupted by the violent vibrating of Brennan's cell phone on the table.

"Don't pick it up." She could see the desire and pleading in his eyes, but she lightly pushed him off of her, sitting up, she reached for the humming phone.

"I have to. It could be important."

He rolled his eyes. "Everything could be important Bones. It doesn't mean you have to pick up."

This time she rolled her eyes, smiling, as she grabbed the phone off the table. "That's illogical and you know it."

A wave of nausea rolled over her when the caller ID showed up as Darcy. She felt trapped, and she knew she couldn't be this close to Booth while she talked to him. It almost felt like he could see her. Grabbing her shirt, she pulled it on quickly, before standing up and walking to the opposite side of the room, turning away from Booth.

She flipped open the phone, biting her lip in anxiety. "Hello."

"God, Temp I thought something had happened to you. Where are you?"

_God, does he know? He can't know. That's logically impossible. Get a grip Brennan._

"I'm fine Darcy. I'm at home." _I'm also crap at lying._

She saw Booth's face darken out of the corner of her eye. He stood up, leaving the room, and she could see the evident anger and frustration in his face.

"I guess you forgot then."

She felt like chucking the phone across the room. The last thing she wanted to do was hurt anyone. That hadn't been the plan, but it was obvious she was hurting two people she cared about. She hated that.

"About what?"

"Our dinner plans? I'm sitting in the restaurant right now Temp. If you're working I swear I'm going to come over and drag you out of your apartment."

She bit her lip, tapping her fingers on the cool glass. Outside snowflakes were dancing lightly, and she couldn't help but wish she hadn't answered her phone.

"No, no I'm not. I fell asleep," She heard Booth scoff from the other room, and she kicked the wall in frustration. "I'm sorry."

"It's fine. Do you think you're up to it, or not." Even though he was trying to be understanding, Brennan could hear the growing annoyance in her real boyfriend's voice.

_I want to stay with Booth._

"No, definitely. I'm fine. I'll see you there in 15, ok? At Gillian's right?" She tried to sound cheery, but her heart wasn't in it.

She heard the sigh of relief on the other side of the phone. At least someone was happy with her, because she had the lurking feeling that Booth was going to be decidedly not.

"You're sure? If you're tired---,"

She cut him off, not in the mood to talk anymore. "I'm fine Darcy. See you there."

Closing the phone with a decided snap, she threw it across the room with more vigor that she had wanted, and it slammed into the wall with a loud crack.

"Damn." She muttered as she walked to retrieve it, grabbing her sweater off the table where it had been discarded minutes before.

Pulling it over her head, her eyes met Booth as he leaned against the doorframe leading to the kitchen, a beer in his hand, his eyes cold.

"Let me guess, Darcy right? Your boyfriend?" She watched as a look of pure hatred crossed his face when he spat out the words.

As much as he was trying to disguise it, she could see the hurt in his eyes. She crossed her arms over her chest, not moving from the spot.

"Don't Booth. You know it's not like that." As much as he thought it hurt him to see her with someone else, she felt even worse.

He shook his head, making his way over to her. "I do know what we're doing here Bones. Its obvious that you'd rather be with him, so I don't even know what you doing with me."

She took a step towards him, putting a hand lightly on his arm. "You know that's not true."

"I don't know what to believe anymore. How do I know you're not lying to me too?" She turned away, and then looked back at him, their eyes meeting.

"I want to be with you Booth. I just…I don't know what to do."

He turned away from her. "You tell me when you figure it out. You should go, Darcy's waiting."

She blinked back tears, as she turned away from him, walking towards the door. He didn't look as she closed the door quietly behind her. She leaned against it, her back sliding down against the smooth wood. She didn't know why she was crying.

What had she expected Booth to say? Stay with me. Leave Darcy. Booth was too good of a man, and too proud for that. But she wanted him to tell her he needed her. She needed that. The reassurance that they were more then just sex. More then physical attraction.

Sighing, she stood up, brushing the hot tears out of her eyes. There was someone waiting for her.

Someone who didn't know the lies she was capable of. And she had the haunting feeling that it was just the beginning.


	2. I'll Wait for You

**_Gosh guys its been way way way toooo...long ...im so sorry i havent updated this...i havent forgotten this story and i have tons of ideas for it, i just havent been inpsired to write something this dark, and ive been super busy, but heres the next chatper...enjoy R/R :)_**

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Before she got out of her car she checked her appearance in the rearview mirror. She turned away quickly; her usually crystal clear blue eyes were dull and cloudy. She hated that. It was a good thing Booth wasn't here. He always could read exactly what she was thinking by just looking into her eyes. It was a trait that drove her crazy. Not that it would be hard this time. They were also red-rimmed and bloodshot from crying. It was obvious to read that one.

She'd debated knocking on Booth's door again before she broke down into tears in the back seat of her car. She wanted to throw herself into his arms, let him kiss her and make everything better. Safe. That's what he always did.

But she hadn't and she wouldn't. The way he'd looked at her when she picked up the phone. The steeliness in his eyes. He never looked at her that way. Like he was ashamed of her. She couldn't bare to have him look at her like that anymore. It was like being stabbed threw the heart.

Shaking her head as she pinned her hair back, she tried to rid him from her thoughts. She was supposed to be meeting Darcy. Her boyfriend. She repeated it again. Her boyfriend.

God it wasn't working. What was Booth always there?

_Because I'm in love with him._

The thought came up impulsively and faster then she could push it away. She hit her hand hard on the steering wheel in frustration, making the horn blare loudly, and shatter the serenity of the rain pounding softly on the window panes.

Everything in her life was always screwed up. She'd screwed things up with Darcy. And ever worse with Booth the person who cared about her the most. And now she was crying again. Great.

She wiped away the hot tears quickly, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath.

Inhale.

Exhale.

She hated herself for this. It was all her fault. She had promised herself that she wouldn't ever cheat on someone. That she didn't want to cause that much emotional pain in anyone she cared about. She'd broken her rule. The guilt was enough to make her scream out. White hot stabbing pain through her heart every time she moved. That's what he didn't understand. How much it made her hurt when she hurt him. Booth needed to know that.

Inhale.

Exhale.

Everything would be ok. It had to be. This night just needed to end. The faster she got out of the car, the faster it would end. Stepping outside, she ran as fast as she could on her 4 inch heels, the puddles splashing up against her legs in the process. She reached the restaurant's awning just as her hair was beginning to get entirely too damp.

She pushed the door open, eliciting a light jiggle from the attached bells. She always felt awkward walking into restaurants alone, especially when they were filled with couples. Her eyes scanned the crowd, and locked on with a man's dark green eyes.

Darcy grinned widely when he saw her. She managed a weak smile and she hoped he couldn't tell her heart wasn't in it.

_He's not Booth. He can't read me like that._

She cursed herself for letting Booth creep into her thoughts again. But it was true. Darcy probably wouldn't be able to see anything was wrong.

She reached the table, and he stood, still smiling.

"Wow…you look great Temperance." Brennan looked up at him as he drank her in. His dark hair was short and spiky, his dark green eyes wide. He had nice friendly features, and a strong muscular build. He was taller then her. Taller then Booth even. Anthropologically he was a very very good mate.

She smiled genuinely at his compliment, but inside the guilt still plagued her. She hadn't even remembered their dinner planes, yet she had spent 40 extremely out of character, meticulous minutes picking out what to where while she dropped something of at Booth's.

She had known that the dark blue silky camisole clung to her curves and made her eyes glow, and that the jeans she had picked out were perfect for tucking into the black suede boots.

"Thanks" He leaned down to kiss her, but she turned her head, and he caught her cheek instead. She couldn't kiss him. Not now. Not when Booth was so close in her mind.

He looked at her in confusion, but she ignored him, and sat down across from him, laying the napkin in her lap to give her hands something to do. He poured her water from the pitcher on the table, and she bit her lip, looking straight across at him.

"Listen, Darcy, I'm sorry I forgot about our plans. Lately I've just been really stressed, and I fell asleep."

_I'm also a cheating, heartbreaking liar. _

He smiled generously at her, squeezing her hand from across the table. She flinched at him touch, but resisted the urge to pull away.

"Don't worry about it Tempe. I know your work takes a lot out of you. You and Booth get hard cases. It's a good thing he's there for you."

She nodded, her eyes staring blankly at the glass full of water, lost in her thoughts, she barely heard him. "Yeah, it's good I have him."

Realizing that she was completely out of the conversation, she blinked heavily, looking at Darcy. "Did you have a good day?"

She knew this question would last them for a while in the conversation department. Or at least it would last him. She needed to think.

Darcy rambled on about his day. He was a partner at a successful law firm, and he handled high paying clients almost everyday. She nodded at the right moments. And commented when she felt it was necessary. Other then that, her thoughts were nothing but him.

Her mind was completely occupied with Booth. She tried to engage herself into Darcy's conversation, but the only thing she could think about was being with him. She needed him. Like she needed to breath. She felt like she was suffocating. Things needed to end with Darcy. Now wasn't the time, but they needed to end.

But for once, she knew exactly where she needed to be. With him. She lying was going to make her literally sick, but she couldn't stand being here for another second. It was ripping her heart out.

During an interval in his constant chatter, Brennan touched his arm lightly, looking seriously into his bottle green eyes. She bit her lip, and for a second she almost couldn't do it. For a second she wanted to take it back. All it back. She wanted to make the safe decision.

But she couldn't. Booth was a dangerous addiction that she couldn't get a enough of.

"Darcy, I'm really not feeling well at all." She saw the concern in his eyes, and she felt even worse.

"Are you ok, I mean do you want to stay, because I completely understand if you want to go home and rest Temp. You work too much anyways."

_No I don't. _"I think I just want to go home. I feel horrible, first I forget our plans and then I can't even make it all the way through them."

Half of that statement was true. She did feel horrible for what she was doing. The way he was looking at her, with such sympathy. She hated herself for that.

He tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, smiling softly at her. "Don't worry about it."

She tried her best, not to pull away from his touch. "You sure?"

Smiling weakly, she let out a sigh of relief when he nodded. "Of course. Do you want me to drive you home?"

Protesting all too fast, she shook her head. "No! No I'll be fine."

He backed away slightly, obviously taken aback. "Whoa, ok…it was just a suggestion."

She shook her head at her own stupidity. That had been stupid to do. She wondered if he suspected anything. Probably not. Darcy was too nice to even think that she might be lying to him.

"I'm sorry, I just feel like complete crap. It's not your fault." Brennan studied him carefully. She wished that she knew how to read people like Booth did. His eyes were dark.

"Don't worry about it Tempe." He leaned over, kissing her softly on the cheek. "Go home, rest. I'll call you tomorrow?"

She stood up, smiling. "Definitely."

Walking to go, she took a few steps, but turned. "I'm sorry Darcy." He nodded, but she could see the blatant disappointment in his eyes, even if he tried to hide it.

As she walked out into the rain, she felt the familiar prickle of tears in her eyes. When she said she was sorry she meant it. She was sorry for the way she was going to hurt him. And she was sorry for the lies that she had to tell. She was sorry for not choosing him.

When she had left the restaurant she had been so sure of it. She had known it was the right decision, but as she stood in the rain, looking up at the looming apartment building, she wasn't sure.

* * *

She didn't know how long she'd been standing there for. She'd stepped out of her car, and then she'd been glued to the ground. All she could do was stare up at the glowing apartment. It was one of the only ones whose lights were still on, and she wished she could see Booth's faint silhouette, but she couldn't.

It was almost as if he wasn't there. That's how she felt these days. Like everything in her life was fleeting.

She was aware that she was already completely soaked to the bone, but she couldn't get herself to move. She was stuck. Afraid. That's what it really was. What if he didn't want to see her? If he shut the door in her face. She knew how much it hurt him seeing her with Darcy, but what if this was really it. The end of them. What would she do then?

Everything seemed to be crashing in on her. The possibility that Booth might not even want to speak to her was daunting and terrifying. She raised her face to the rain, closing her eyes, she let it pound down on her lips and her cheeks, catching delicately on her eyelids and pooling on her eyelashes.

It was then that the undeniable cold settled uncomfortably over her entire body. She shivered violently, wrapping her arms around herself and blinking against the rain. It was quite possible that she would develop hypothermia before she made a decision, so she cleared the quick steps from her car to the building, and took shelter as she climbed the stairs.

She wasn't in the mood for the elevator, and even though she knew she was being illogical, she wished she had stayed out in the rain. She was so unbelievably cold in the lonely halls of the apartment building that she could barely move.

Realizing how stupid she'd been, she didn't even have apprehensions about knocking on his door. Her hands shook as the knocked, the iciness quickly numbing her body. Why had she abandoned all logic, and stood in the pouring rain for half and hour? It was idiotic and stupid and dangerous, but she couldn't turn back the clock. For now she was stuck cold and wet.

Booth answered the door, and she saw how surprised he was to see her. The surprise and possible anger dissolved as he took in her appearance. Concern wrote its way across his face, as he studied her.

"Bones, god what happened to you?"

She stepped inside, as he closed the door, putting a hand on the small of her back to guide her inside. He was alarmed to feel how cold she was. This was definitely not safe.

He watched her try to speak. Her teeth were chattering so badly, he could barely understand her. Booth had spent the night since he left, nursing a beer, sinking farther and farther into a hole he was afraid he couldn't dig himself out of. He thought he had lost her. She shouldn't have been with Darcy right now, a fact that he hadn't stopped reminding himself of for the past 2 hours. He was just the other guy. Someone she slept with on the side.

But now she was standing there, looking more upset then he'd seen her. Her skin was so pale, that it was almost translucent. Her usually full lips were tinged blue and purple with the cold, and her dark hair was plastered against her shoulders. She still looked as beautiful as ever, but he did notice how her entire body was constantly shivering. He knew he worried too much, but right now he felt he had the right to.

"Bbbooth….I'm, sssoo, sooorry…I shouldn't have left." Her teeth chattered loudly as she tried to speak.

All the anger with her melted away. All the hurt. He shook his head, not looking at her directly. "Bones, its ok. I understand. You and Darcy, I need to let you---,"

"No!" He saw her eyes flash with protest. "Noooo, Darrrcy, isn't. I'm going to….I'm here with…yyou Booth... I want to be here. I wwant you…"

He reached out, his knuckles tracing her jaw, as he wiped away the tears that were threatening to spill out of her crystalline eyes. He kept his hand there, caressing her face softly, growing increasingly more concerned as he felt how cold she really was.

"Bones…I…" He trailed off, and he saw her eyes looking up at him hopefully.

"Whhat?" He looked away, but kept his fingers tracing her cheek bones carefully.

He shook his head, and he saw the disappointment flash across her face. He wanted to say it, but now…when everything was so complicated, was not the time. "We need to get you into warm clothes. You're freezing."

She nodded, but looked away. She thought he was going to tell her something to reassure their relationship. He cared about her. She knew that. But she needed to hear it. She'd never been needy, but it seemed like the only thing that mattered.

He leaned down, kissing her hair softly. "I'll be right back."

She nodded, and wrapped her arms around herself protectively, trembling violently. The cold was taking over. Her brain felt numb, her skin felt clammy. The only thing she could focus on was warmth.

"Bones, you wanna come in here to change?"

She nodded, shuffling slowly across the apartment. She'd removed her heels when she walked in, and the bare pads of her feet felt good against the wood.

He nodded towards a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt lying folded carefully on the bed. "I thought that would probably fit you the best. I think the most important thing is to get you warm right now."

She nodded in agreement. That sounded about right. "Ok." She sat down on the bed, and he continued to watch her intensely, not tearing his eyes away for a second. She was enthralling.

"Um…Booth?" Her eyes were questioning, and he turned around immediately. Obviously she wanted her privacy.

"Sorry." He mumbled awkwardly. Brennan watched as he stared at the other side of the wall, his face illuminated by the faint glow of the moon. The lights were off, and his floor to wall windows made it feel like they were outside in the rain. The pitter patter sound was peaceful.

She stood, reaching for the buttons on her jeans. She tried to unbutton it, but her fingers were trembling to badly, and too numb to even attempt at unhooking the button. She tried twice, but her fingers stung when they touched the course fabric. Finally, she groaned in frustration, putting her face in her hands. She was crying at something so small, but everything seemed to be worthy of her tears lately.

Booth turned around when he heard her quiet sobs. He quickly realized what the problem was, and moved towards her carefully, so he was standing in front of her. She looked up at him, her eyes bloodshot and red rimmed. He hated seeing her like this.

Booth spoke huskily, his lips grazing her ear. "Here, let me." He guided her fingers away from the clasp of the jeans, his precise fingers easily slipping the button through the hole, and unzipping the zipper carefully. She watched him, as he tenderly slid his hands along her hips, pulling the wet denim off of her body. He moved them down her legs, his hands following the gentle curves of her thighs as he got down on his knees, to pull them off.

Every touch was tender and soft. She stepped out of the legs one by one, as Booth looked up at her. He reached for the sweatpants on the bed, and let her step into them slowly, pulling them up her slender hips, and tying them carefully at them waist.

She looked up at him, her eyes begging for his touch. Booth's fingers toyed with the hem of her camisole, sliding it up her stomach, and pasts the sharp curves of her waist. She breathed carefully when his fingers grazed over her breasts, and she raised her arms over her head as he softly pulled the wet garment off her body.

Her arms fit easily into the wide arm holes, and she wiggled her head slowly through. Looking up at him, she smiled weakly, not wanting the moment of true adoration end. Booth leaned down, kissing her cheek softly. He moved down to her neck, his lips warm against her cool skin. He planted soft kisses along her collar bone, and along the curve of her shoulder.

Booth's lips traveled back up to her jaw, and finally his lips met hers in the tenderest of kisses. It was so soft, that his lips just barely brushed hers. His arms wrapped around her, as he pulled her into a tight embrace, kissing her hair softly. She wrapped her arms around him, burying her face into his chest, feeling the safest she had in a long time. The rain reflected indigo on their faces, the stars that were visible twinkling in their eyes.

Booths lips grazed her ear softly, his warm breath sending shivers down her spine. "Everything's going to be ok."

For the first time, she believed him.

* * *

Darcy sat in the parking lot of Booth's apartment building, the anger building in him quickly. This was Booth's lot. She had lied. He knew something was wrong the second she said it.

They had always been too close. Darcy had been wary of that. But now, someone was most definitely going to pay. People didn't double cross him.

* * *

The couple that had all the problems, was about to have one more.

**_Hit the button...come on you know you wanna ;P_**


	3. Heartbeats

**A/N: Omg you guys!! It has almost been like a month or maybe it has since i last updated...i hate that, and i love writing this story, so i hope you guys are still reading hopefully :) and im really sorry, but im writing the next chapter right now, so hopefully it will be up soooonnn...PROMISE...R/R please...thanks ;)**

The 1st thing she heard was the rain. It pounded softly on the roof of Booth's top story apartment, hitting the windows with force, and making it hard to figure out whether it was night or day. It was like white noise, the rain. It blocked out everything, so all she could hear was the gentle pounding surrounding them.

She didn't even need to open her eyes to know he was there. She could feel him, his arms draped around her loosely, his body mimicking hers, as she snuggled into him. His body was warm, and she found herself moving closer to him, even though she wasn't cold at all. She craved his touch. Nuzzling her head into his bare chest, she sighed softly in content as she listened to the rain. For one moment she didn't have to think about everything she'd done wrong. It was just them. She knew it would pass and she relished it while there was still time.

She could feel his heart beating faintly, a gentle thumping in his chest, as she pressed her temple against him. The human heartbeat was an odd thing. Averaging about 70 beats per minute, it was enough to keep them alive. It pumped blood through their veins, and air into their lungs, and even though she knew it reasonably wasn't true, she couldn't help but wonder how their hearts had opened themselves to love.

_Ba-bump._

_Ba-bump._

_Ba-bump_.

She smiled. She had never been close enough to another person to hear their heartbeat. She could hear her own in her ears, perfectly at rhythm with his.

It made her feel closer to Booth then she'd ever been. As calming as it was, it also unnerved her. She and Booth weren't supposed to be able to be this close, not after everything that had happened.

And then it happened. The moment passed. She felt her heartbeat start to race, and the second of perfect synchronicity with him was over. The unbelievable guilt washed over her again. She shivered involuntarily, despite Booth's proximity and the warm comforter that was draped over them. She hated this.

Both deserved someone better then her. He deserved someone who wouldn't cheat, and wouldn't lie. That wouldn't hurt him. That's all she did anymore. That's all she was good for.

Pain.

**FLASHBACK, 3 Months Earlier**

The night had been unnerving. She hadn't suspected it to go the way it did. The way it was going. She had been so caught off guard by the rush of emotions; she didn't know what to do. The problem was, they hadn't been directed towards Darcy.

She was supposed to be able to fall for him. To let him in. To finally be happy. He was a good guy. The "right" guy. But she couldn't. As much as she wanted to put down her walls, and forget the fear, she wouldn't will herself to do it.

As she closed the door to her apartment behind her, she pulled out the pin in her auburn waves, shaking them out and letting them cascade freely down her bare shoulders. She slid her feet out of her heels, relishing in the wave of relief her feet experienced as she glided across the hard wood floor.

She tried to think of what could possibly be wrong. This was their 4th date. When he had asked if he could come up, why couldn't she have just said yes like a normal woman? An attractive, nice, smart guy had asked with modern culture's euphemism for "would you like to sleep with me", and she hadn't been able to say yes.

She picked up her shoes, dangling them from her thumbs, as she made her way into her room, letting herself collapse onto her bed, her dark hair splayed messily across the crisp white bedspread.

Shutting her eyes, she finally let the possibility into her mind that she'd been trying so hard to deny for the last 30 minutes.

Booth.

Maybe it was the way that he'd looked at her when she told him about their date. But he'd known about Darcy before. Or how she'd seen him out of the corner of her eye when Darcy had come early to surprise her, enveloping her in a tight embrace. How he'd glared at her, angrier then she'd seen him, and strode out of the Jeffersonian without even looking back.

She sighed, running a hand through her tangled hair, as she stood up to try and attempt to unzip her dress.

The feelings about Booth had sprung out of nowhere, and hit her square in the heart. She wasn't prepared for them, nor did she have any idea what they meant. All she knew was that she had the overwhelming urge to be near him. To let him hold her, wrap his arms around her tightly and never let go.

But that's what boyfriends were for. And she had one. She didn't have Booth. Booth didn't want her. She didn't want him.

_Yeah right._

She realized that her heart was racing, just thinking about him. She took a deep breath, trying to bring her pulse down.

_Bump. Bump. Bump. Bump. _

She was so engrossed the heartbeats, that she finally realized what she was hearing was a fervent knocking on her door. Hurrying to open it, she frowned when she saw Booth leaning on the door frame, looking not at all like himself.

"Booth it's almost midnight. What are you doing here?" Her heart hammered in her chest as she waited for his response. He only came this late if something was wrong, with by the look of his disheveled hair, hollow eyes, and serious stare, there was.

"I need to talk to you." His eyes met her's, and she nodded, letting him in and closing the door behind them.

She turned to look at him, and she could see that he was drinking in the sight of her. She was curious at what was so surprising, and then she realized she was still wearing the short bottle green she'd worn to dinner with Darcy. It clung to her curves more desperately then anything she'd ever worn around Booth, and she knew the fabric made her eyes glow. She thought she saw a flicker of pure unadulterated lust in Booth's eyes, but it passed as soon as she had caught it.

"What's up Booth? It's late…I'm tired." The excuse was lame, she knew, but with all the emotions concerning him that were storming up in her chest, she didn't know how long she could stand to be around him.

"Is he here?" She heard the dislike in his tone, but she chose to ignore it.

"Darcy? No he's not." She frowned at him, wondering what was so damn important that he wouldn't look directly at her.

Booth ran a hand over his hair, looking more upset then she'd seen him. He looked directly at her, the intensity in his eyes scaring her slightly. "What are you doing with him Bones?"

She looked at him in confusion. "It's an antiquated social ritual to gain intimacy called dating Booth."

He shook his head looking extremely dissapointed at her response. "The guys bad news Bones."

As much as she'd been confused before, now she just felt pissed off. He had no right to say that to her. "You came all the way over here to tell me that my boyfriends 'bad news' according to one of your 'gut' feelings?" She knew she sounded upset, but she was.

"I don't think he's right for you Bones." Booth's tone was softer this time, but she felt her anger getting the best of her.

"You have no right to say that to me." She shook her head angrily, her blue eyes flashing. "You don't even know him."

"I don't like the guy." He avoided her stare, knowing that it was a crap excuse for the real reason he was here. He hadn't been able to get the image of her leaving with him out of his mind. He'd spent the night feeling physically sick just thinking about _his _Bones with that guy. He needed to know that nothing had happened. That it wasn't serious. He couldn't take that. Falling in love with his partner was **not** something that was in the FBI handbook. And it said nothing about the pain it was causing him.

She threw her hands up in the air in frustration. "You don't like him? Oh, well ok, since you don't like him, why don't I call him right now and tell him we're done? Because if you say it, it has to be true." She shouted at him sarcastically, and Booth could tell she was thoroughly pissed off.

He didn't respond, as she appraised him angrily, her eyes filled with confusion and hurt.

"Why do you even care Booth? Honestly? Does it kill you that much to see me happy?" She looked at him, her eyes lying. She wasn't happy and they both knew that. She wasn't happy, because the only person she could think about when she was with her boyfriend was him.

He sighed, their eyes finally meeting, and she saw how upset he really was. He took a step closer to her, so that they were only inches apart. "You know why I don't like him? Because it kills me to see you with anybody else. I watch him touch you and my skin crawls. I feel sick to my stomach thinking about anybody else but me kissing you. God, Bones…I've fallen in love with you. I tried not to, but I can't stop."

It was so silent; Brennan prayed that he couldn't hear her heart hammering against her ribs. This was too much to comprehend. He loved her. Her intuition hadn't been off. And in the back of her mind, a small picture of Darcy appeared and vanished as quickly as it had come.

She looked up at him, her crystal clear eyes shining with tears, which she promptly wiped away.

"I don't know what I feel. I never do. All I know, is that I can't get you out of my mind Booth. You're everywhere. I can't breath. And it doesn't help that you're here. Because we can't do anything."

He nodded, as he moved closer to her, their lips only centimeters apart. "No we can't do anything. We're partners…"

She nodded in agreement, swallowing nervously. "Right, partners, and I have Darcy."

"Right." He leaned in closer to her, but she looked down, avoiding his eyes. "And it's dangerous Booth. I mean we couldn't."

He nodded, as she continued to look down, his proximity doing things to her that made her want to forget her last words. Her heart was beating rapidly, the only thing keeping her steady.

She looked up at him, and she couldn't stop herself from pulling his face to hers and catching her lips in his. She couldn't stop herself from letting their tongues mingle together, and she couldn't stop herself from sliding her hands over his taut stomach muscles, as he teased kisses down her collar bone. She couldn't stop herself from helping him remove his t-shirt and jeans.

She didn't stop him when he reached for the zipper on her dress, or when he pushed her against the door frame kissing her heatedly. She didn't stop him when he laid her softly on the bed, kissing every inch of her and then joining their bodies the way they were meant to be together. She didn't stop him when the ecstasy pumped through her veins, and she cried out his name.

Temperance Brennan had always gone for the good guy. The "right" guy. But right now, with Booth, being wrong had never felt so right.

**END FLASHBACK**

She could still hear his heartbeat loud in his chest, the calming sound almost enough to lull her back to sleep. That's all she wanted. To go back to sleep with Booth and forget about the world. About jobs, obligations, and what a horrible cheating person she was. That'd be nice to forget. Just for a second.

Rolling away from him, she turned to the other side of the bed, not able to be so near him. She didn't know how he could even look at her, let alone hold her in his arms. Their first night together would forever be tainted by the fact that she was unfaithful. And that's all she could remember about it.

She pulled herself out of the entanglement of sheets, standing up, and stretching lightly. It was already 7:30, she'd usually be at work by now, but right now, she had no energy for work. She didn't know what she needed.

Running her arms up and down her bare arms, she huddled even farther into Booth's t-shirt, and the rain caught her eye. She reached out her fingers to touch the cool glass, pressing her face into it, wishing that she could be out there. Out in the turmoil. She closed her eyes, listening to the rain, the glass comforting for her aching heart.

She didn't even hear him get up to stand next to her, but as soon as he was inches away, she could feel him. She opened her eyes, and he smiled at her.

"Hey." He leaned down, kissing her hair softly, not seeming to mind that she was still staring pensively out the window.

"I'm a horrible person Booth." The way she stated it as a fact and not as a question broke Booth's heart. He couldn't tell if her eyes were shining from the reflection of the rain in the window, or with unshed tears.

He slid a finger under her chin, turning her to face him, her eyes filled with hope. "Listen to me Bones. People make mistakes; it doesn't make you a horrible person."

She swallowed her tears, turning away from him again. "That's what this is to you. A mistake. We're a mistake."

Booth shook his head, "No. You are not my mistake Bones. I know that's what you're thinking."

She glared at him, hating that he knew her so well. "It says in the bible, that one shall not commit adultery. In our culture the act of infidelity is frowned upon. You can't possibly look at me the same way you did Booth. I'm tainted."

This time, he turned her whole body to face him, reaching up to trace her jaw with his knuckles, wiping away the tears that she'd allowed to fall. "You're not religious Bones, so you don't have to worry about that one. And as for me, I look at you the same way I always did."

She looked up at him with despairing hope in her eyes. "How?"

"Like you're the only one that matters." He smiled at her, and she smiled back weakly at him, leaning up to kiss him softly. He wrapped his arms around her, and she could hear his heart against her ears.

_Ba-bump._

_Ba-bump._

_Ba-bump._

She whispered into his chest. "I can feel your heart beating."

Booth held her tighter against him, kissing her hair softly, and closing his eyes and nuzzling his face into her hair.

"It's a good sound." His fingers found their way underneath her oversized t-shirt, rubbing circles along the soft skin of her back to calm her down.

"Yeah," She nodded, "Yeah it is."

He was her lifeline. The only thing keeping her sane. The only thing keeping her heart beating.

**ButtonLOVE...make it love you ;P**


	4. Broken Promises

By the time she reached the doors to her apartment building she was soaking. It was raining just as hard as ever, and she was stuck just as much as ever, without an umbrella. Although she was wearing Booth's sweatshirt, which engulfed her completely and hung past her knees, she still shivered involuntarily. Wet cotton was not heat inducing.

Still, she felt comforted by the broken in navy blue sweatshirt. It reminded her so much of him, his clean sweet scent lingering when she breathed in. She felt the familiar safety wash over her as she pulled the sweatshirt on as she felt when she was with Booth. She had been about to leave his apartment when he had pulled the sweatshirt over his head, insisting that there was no way he was letting her out in the rain without a jacket. She hadn't put up much protest; instead she had smiled, kissed him lightly on the cheek, and told him she'd see him at work in a few hours.

She hadn't mentioned that she was planning on calling Darcy for coffee. It wasn't a date. She was going to break up with him. She owned him enough that she could do it in person. Even she knew how cold it was to finish a relationship over the phone. She knew that would be the last straw. All of this guilt and pain was making her sick of herself.

She didn't feel the need to mention it to Booth. She knew how angry he could get, and that anger would do no good to her or their relationship. She hadn't done anything wrong. She wasn't lying. He hadn't asked, she hadn't told.

_Great. Now I'm even lying to myself._

Reaching for her keys as she jogged up the stairs, she contemplated her decision. On the other hand, her seemingly compulsive problem with lying was probably not doing them any good either.

As she was slipping her keys into the doorway, a sudden movement in the shadows made her jump and inadvertently drop her keys as Darcy emerged from the darkness, his face bathed in shade.

Her eyes widened in surprise at his appearance as she bent down to retrieve her keys. His usually wavy hair was messy and dirty, his face unshaven, and his dark eyes bloodshot. There was something off in the way he was appraising her. Even she could feel the eerie chills running up her spine.

"Darcy, what are you doing here?" He approached her slowly, and for the first time she was slightly scared of him. Something about the look in his eyes.

"Did you sleep with him?" Brennan's face paled. His voice was level, but she could hear the restrained anger, and she instantly knew that he knew.

"What? What are you talking about?" For the possibly the first time in her life she decided that using tact might be the smart thing to do.

He shook his head, a sneer playing on his face. "Don't play dump with me Temperance. I saw you together. You and that muscle-bound partner of yours. I should've known you were screwing him." Darcy spat out the words.

_I take back everything I said about him being too nice to know. I really am crap at reading people._

Brennan couldn't help but let her mouth hang open at him words. She knew there was an expression. Oh, yeah. The shit has hit the fan. That was it. She didn't want him to find out like this.

_I didn't want him to find out at all._

"Darcy, listen, it's not like that." Her voice was pleading, but his eyes were still cold. She needed him to forgive her. The impulse inside of her was raging.

"Yeah right, I asked you a simple question, are you sleeping with the guy or not?"

She shook her head. She hadn't wanted this to happen. She didn't want to hurt anyone. It was ok if she got hurt. If the pain ate her up inside until she couldn't breath anymore, but she couldn't hurt people she cared about anymore.

He looked so angry; she didn't know how to respond. Part of her felt like coming clean, but the less logical part of her brain was repeating one word, over and over again.

_Lie._

_Lie._

_Lie._

"No, I'm not." Her stomach dropped dangerously, and she hoped he couldn't hear her heart hammering in her chest.

He took a menacing step towards her, and it took all her strength to stay put. "You're lying."

She held her chin high, looking at him directly in the eye. "No I'm not." She stated firmly in the strongest voice she could muster. She saw his eyes flash dangerously, and for a second, she almost felt it coming.

He seemed so unbelievably angry as he yelled, "Liar!" Before she even had a chance to comprehend what was happening, Darcy's fist collided hard with the side of her face, making her stumble back, hot tears stinging her eyes, as the throbbing pain set in on her cheek.

If it had been anybody else but him, she would have been able to block it. But she was so completely stunned; she didn't know what to do. A million thoughts ran through her mind as her cheek throbbed painfully.

The main one was fear. She'd been hit before. By foster parents who didn't give a damn how much they hurt her. By kidnappers and murderers. But never by someone who she thought cared about her. It was overwhelmingly painful, like her heart shattering in two.

She took a step backwards her hand shielding her face as silent tears poured down her face.

"Temperance….I'm so sorry." He reached out, all the anger disappearing from his face, but she wouldn't meet his eyes, instead she backed farther away until her hand was on the door knob.

"Don't get near me Darcy." Her voice didn't come out stronger then a whisper, but it was as strong as she could muster. She had never been more afraid. She was all alone.

_He could kill me. No one would see._

The thought was entirely terrifying and unreasonable. Yet she couldn't help but, grasp the doorknob harder. She knew the amount of testosterone released in an angry male was easily enough to blur the lines between passion and reason.

Although she could see he was upset about his actions, she still saw a flicker of the rage in his eyes. It scared her. "Promise me, you won't see him anymore."

She swallowed, turning the doorknob. "Get away from me Darcy."

His eyes flashed dangerously, as he took a hazardous step towards her. "Promise me."

She shook her head, trying to seem more convinced then she felt. He took another step forward, but this time she was ready for him, as he raised his hand to hit her again, she turned the doorknob behind her, sliding into her apartment quickly, letting Darcy's arm collide painfully with the side of the door.

Immediately she slid the chain lock into the door, realizing that she was breathing hard, she covered her face in her hands, leaning her forehead against the door.

He banged his fist against the door in fury, and she could hear his muffled yells of her name as he tried in vain to open the door.

The guilt that had been so overwhelming for the past few months gone. In its place was fear. Fear and sadness and hurt. He had hit her. Physically hurt her. He didn't care about her. It was all about the game. People who cared didn't hit each other no matter how angry they got.

She slid down, he back against the door, listening to his fist against the door. It was almost a rhythm, and it faded away slowly. She didn't know if he was gone. Or if she just stopped hearing it.

She took deep breaths, trying to calm herself down, but she couldn't stop the her hands from shaking. It was so quiet in the apartment, that all she could hear was the rain. The rain and her ragged breaths. It was so easy to hear her cell phone ringing next to her.

It was easy to pick it up. To read the caller ID saying "Booth". It could have been easy. But all she could hear were Darcy's words ringing in her ears.

_Promise me, you won't see him anymore. Promise me. Promise me…_


	5. Protection

_**OMG finally a new chapter...yes...even im excited and I wrote it...i sincerely apologize for my lack of posting, my life is completely chaotic and I just sadly have no time to write, but here it is...I hope for those still reading you enjoy...R/R please if you're reading thanks :))**_

* * *

Something in the back of her mind knew it was the wrong thing to do. That little logical part that usually took ruling court over her actions had been pushed away without a second thought. Running seemed the most logical now. Her parents had done it. Her brother had. Her past loves. Why couldn't she?

She wasn't exactly running. She didn't like to think of it like that. It was more like artful hiding. Or dodging. Not avoiding. She didn't care for that term. But in the back of her mind she knew that was exactly what she was doing.

She leaned over her laptop, for the large coffee mug sitting on the edge of the table in front of her. It was her 3rd coffee in 2 and half hours, and she was trying to drink it slowly for fear the waitress might suspect and addiction when she asked for her next one.

There were much worse things she was addicted to. Like pain. And love. And lies.

There hadn't been any cases today, thank god, no prehistoric remains to identify, no paper work to fill out. It was slow today. One of those free days. As much as she denied it, sometimes she relished in the lack of structure on those days when she could do whatever she wanted. And today she had free time to write. Granted, she usually found writing in her office more focused, but he would find her there. That was way too obvious.

No today she was sitting on one of the overly stuffed maroon corduroy couches of her favorite downtown loft café. She loved writing here, and she found the pages she turned out while on her fifth Chai Latte were the best. The most human.

And today she had been able to take that to the next level. The things she'd written today were like nothing else she'd written before. The intense feeling of hurt had been able to transfer perfectly on paper, making her characters whole and broken at the same time. It was perfect.

Sighing, she put her laptop down, and took a long sip of her coffee. Despite the soft music playing on the surround sound and the mulling coffee-drinkers chatting on the navy blue futons she had never felt more alone. And the worst part was, she was hiding from the one person who'd do anything to protect her.

But still, she found herself fearing him. While she usually awaited his calls, she had shut off her phone. She knew he'd never find her here, and she was glad. She didn't want to see him. She was afraid of what he would say. What he would want to do.

And she knew it was completely irrational. Darcy was the one who had hurt her. Who'd physically taken his fist to her face, but she was avoiding Booth. He'd be so disappointed. She didn't need to put him through that. He had enough problems. And mostly she'd concluded, she usually ended up being another problem.

_That's a depressing thought. But he'd be so much better off without me. I don't want to hurt him anymore._

She touched the swollen purple bruise above her right temple. It was a painful souvineour of her mistakes. She blinked back tears, thinking about this mornings encounter. As much as she tried to forget it, it was seared in her mind. Darcy's harsh accusations. Her denial. The way he hadn't even held back in hitting her. Like she was worthless. She'd only felt like that once before. This overwhelming feeling like she was nothing to no one. When her parents left. God, she had never wanted to go back there, but here she was again. All alone, and no where to turn. Even the bruises were reminiscent of her early foster parents.

"_No one cares if you're hurt. Cry as much as you want, no one will hear you. No one gives a fuck about you. You damn foster kids are all the same. Worthless."_ Slam. And then the same painful throbbing as she'd felt today.

She remembered the 1st time so vividly; she had to shut her eyes to stop the harsh words from penetrating her again. They'd hurt more then the physical beating, but it was how she'd learned to be wary. To keep her guard up. And maybe, just maybe, it was why she was so terrified of relationships.

Never had she experienced such a real metaphor to what having a relationship could do to you. They hurt you. Hit you until you cried.

It was then; she did something, based purely on emotion. She didn't think at all, her pain drove her. And it didn't stop her even when her heart told her no.

She reached for the phone.

* * *

Booth sighed, feeling in a worse mood then he'd been in a while. As if it hadn't been bad enough he hadn't been able to get Bones on the phone all day, hitting her voicemail every time, and leaving the lab phone ringing continuously, he'd just had to have an hour long meeting with Cullen discussing his partner's apparent "lack of safety" in the field.

_The squints are all your responsibility. She's your partner, and its going to be your ass on the burner if she ends up getting kidnapped again Booth. It's unacceptable._

If only Cullen knew how much of unprofessional protection he offered her. It pissed him off to no end. Booth would never bring Brennan into the field if he thought it wasn't safe. He killed himself thinking about her multiple near death experiences, but god, he'd give anything to keep her safe, and of course it wasn't enough for the god damn FBI.

If only the FBI knew how much she was on his mind. How she was the only thing he thought about. Then maybe they'd realize how much time he spent protecting her. That's why it drove him nuts not getting a hold of her. He knew she could drill herself into the ground like no other, but couldn't she at least return one phone call to reassure him she wasn't lying dead somewhere.

He reached for his phone as he sat down at his desk, putting his feet up, and loosening his tie slightly. As he flipped it open, he was surprised to see a missed call from Brennan and a new voicemail. Apparently she cared after all.

He typed in his password, bringing the phone to listen to her message, his face darkening quickly at her words.

He could easily hear the uncertainty in her voice as if she was regretting the call. "Hey Booth it's me. Listen, I've been thinking a lot, and um…" She paused, sighing. "I don't know how to say this, but I…" Pause again. "I don't think we should see each other any more…or at least not like this. Darcy and I are done, and I just think that I need a break." It was quiet for a few seconds, and he could envision her putting her phone down, biting her lip in contemplation. "We should never have started this, it was wrong. And if you can't work with me anymore, I'll get a new partner." Her coldness drove right through him, sending shivers down his spine. He heard what he thought was a quiet sob before she spoke again, her voice softer, more like herself. "I'm so sorry Booth…" And the harsh beep of the dial tone was the last of her before his phone kindly offered to replay the message.

Booth's face was dark as he put the phone down. The intense mixture of anger and hurt pumping through his veins was giving him the unbearable urge to punch something until his knuckles bled.

He'd been hurt by women before her. More then is male ego cared to admit, but never before had someone who he cared so deeply about, dismissed him over a voicemail. But then again, no one was quite like Brennan. Although she was somewhat of social disadvantage she was sharp, and Booth knew she'd left him the voicemail jus so he wouldn't be able to catch onto her emotions.

Still it hurt. He knew as much as she denied it, that she cared about him as much or even more then he did for her. She had thrown herself so passionately into their relationship that Booth sometimes feared for her.

Something was wrong. He knew that. Things had been fine this morning. They'd been fine. And then she was breaking up with him. He refused to think she'd chosen Darcy that hurt too much. Despite way he felt for her, blatant anger was clouding him mind.

He looked down at hi watch. 4 . Judging by her tactful avoidance of him, she wouldn't be at her apartment until at least 8, and she definitely wasn't at the lab.

He'd wait, but come 8 o'clock, he'd know the truth. He needed it.

Watch out…sometime the truth hurts.

* * *

Brennan finally got back to her apartment a little before 9 pm. Despite the plethora of emotional and tension filled chapters she'd written, she felt lonesome and wrong. Everything felt wrong.

Dropping her keys on the table, she pulled off her fluffy black hat, catching a glimpse of herself in the mirror, and wincing involuntarily. Although the physical pain had long subsided, it still hurt like hell. She couldn't take her mind off of it for a second. She just kept going back there, and it was like she was 16 again.

She felt empty. Although scientifically there was no proof that the human body contained a "soul" if she had one if felt like hers had been scooped out and burned clean out of her body. What she'd done. With Booth, it was probably the worst decision of her life. But her instincts were so built in not to look for solace. To either fight herself, or run as fast as she could, that she couldn't even deal with the thought of facing Booth.

But it wasn't like this was just going to go away. If he didn't show up here tonight, which for the first time, she was praying to god he wouldn't, then eventually there'd be a case. Hopefully enough time would have passed for her bruising to subside, but there'd be so much that was unanswered. But she tried to reassure herself.

_This is what Booth needs. A clean break. From me. He deserves more._

She pulled her coat off, wishing that she could just erase the past. Thoughts like that usually didn't occupy her mind. Logically you couldn't erase the past, but now…

If she was going to be like her old self, she would have erased sleeping with Booth. Erased both the fleeting pleasure and constant pain it brought her. She would have forgotten what happened between them. Made everything the way that it was. But now all she could think of erasing was Darcy. Darcy, who'd, seemed perfect. But people aren't perfect. That was one thing she knew for sure. No one was.

The loud violent knocking on her door jerked her out of her thoughts, and for a second she as back there. The horrible banging on the door. His shouts to stop with Booth. How she had listened.

She turned and looked through the peep hole, paling as she saw Booth's not seemingly happy face outside the door. Why did he have to care about her so damn much?

"Bones open up, it's me!" She sighed, leaning her back against the door, trying to figure out what to do. She couldn't face him, her eyes already stung with hot tears thinking about what he was going to say.

She bit her lip as he spoke again. "Bones, I know you're in there. We need to talk."

His voice was cold, and it was obvious he had gotten her voice mail. She should've known. A plan like that on an alpha-male like Booth. He wouldn't let her go that easily. His voice softened. "Come on Bones, open the door please."

She took a deep breath, unlocking the door before she pulled it open slowly, looking at him with as much hurt in her eyes as she saw mirrored in his. His face was pained, and a confused frown etched its way across his face when he took in the large bruise next to her temple.

He stepped inside her apartment, closing the door quickly. He reached out to touch the angry bruise, but she stepped backwards. His statement was blunt and to the point, and it was just what she had been dreading all day. "Bones, who did that to you?"

She shook her head, not meeting his eyes. "I hit my head on the door Booth, I wasn't looking."

"Yeah right, god I should have listened to Cullen, did someone jump you Bones?"

She frowned, looking up at him. "What? No, what did Cullen say?"

She thought if she could draw his attention away from her face he would let it go and focus on why she dumped him over the phone. "He was preaching to me about your safety, come on Bones, what happened that looks pretty bad…I can't believe you wouldn't tell me."

The tension between them was thick and she felt like suffocating. He was going to find out. Booth wasn't an idiot. "I told you Booth, I banged my head on the door. I'm fine. Why are you here?"

She wouldn't meet his eyes, and the realization dawned on him. It was like a punch to the stomach, his lungs tightened and he felt his fists clench instinctually. Darcy had done this to her. The pieces fit. He'd seen enough bodies that he knew what domestic abuse looked like. The angry purple bruise fit the bill perfectly. Her sudden call. This morning. He shouldn't have let her go.

The rage pumped through his veins, thinking about that s.o.b laying a hand on Brennan. He hadn't been able to protect her.

"Darcy did that to you, didn't he Bones?" His voice was sharp and clear, and she couldn't bear to look at him. She shook her head.

"No, he didn't Booth." She focused anywhere but him, but still she could feel his eyes piercing her.

"He hit you, this morning. After you left my apartment." She shook her head again, the hot tears brimming, looking down.

"Stop saying that." Her voice was weaker then she intended it to be, and Booth took a step closer to her, trying to bridge the gap between them.

"Stop lying to me." She looked up at him, her eyes betraying everything as they shone with tears.

"I'm not lying." He step forward, taking her forcefully by the shoulders, forcing her to look him straight in the eyes.

"You look me in the eyes Temperance, and tell me he didn't hit you. Say it to my face, and I'll believe you."

She looked up at him, here eyes meeting his, blinking back tears. He was looking at her just the way she'd feared he would. It terrified her. "He found out about us Booth. He saw us together. He was so angry…" She bit her lip, "He didn't even care that he'd hurt me..."

_If he touches her again, I swear to god…I'll kill him._

Booth reached out, cupping her face in one hand, wiping away the tears with his thumb. He traced up her jaw line, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear, before he lightly brushed over her bruises. She saw the pain in his eyes, and it was almost unbearable, knowing she had put that there. She hadn't wanted that. For him to hurt anymore.

"I was scared Booth…I'm never scared, but…he was so angry…"

He leaned down, kissing her cheekbone softly, then her nose, and brushing his lips ever so softy over the tender skin of her temple. She leaned up, kissing him softly on the lips, wanting to feel the immense amount of safety she had felt waking up with him this morning. It seemed like so far away.

Wrapping his arms around her tightly, he leaned down, his lips tracing her ear lobe softly. "I'll keep you safe Bones. I promise…I'll keep you safe."

She nodded, wanting to feel safe. Protected, like she had. But she felt tainted and far away. Like she was drifting and no one could catch her.

_I'm already gone_. She leaned into him, nuzzling her head into his chest. _Please save me._

* * *

_**Didja like...tell the button please :)))**_


	6. Explode For Me, Fall for Me

_OMG guys it has been SO long...i know I'm sorry, but heres a brand new one...enjoy :) r/r please_

_p.s. this chapter is **RATED M**...my first try it, it prob sucks, but dont make fun :) thanks..._

* * *

It hadn't taken much for Booth to find Darcy. As he put it simply, this was the FBI. If someone wasn't hiding, it was pretty damn easy to locate them. Especially if a certain Special Agent had a special hate on for the target.

Breaking into Darcy's office during his lunch break hadn't really been a problem either. He'd flashed his badge at the giggly secretary, taken the elevator up 4 stories and stealthily sneaked past a couple of security guards. The thing he was having the biggest problem was finding the will power not to kill the guys as soon as he walked into the office where Booth had his feet propped upon on Darcy's desk, not much caring if it got dirty or not.

Yeah, he'd killed people in the army. He threatened the squints, . He'd tell Bones he wanted to kill her. Sometimes he actually did want to kill his ex, but this was the 1st time he'd actually been able to imagine shooting someone straight through the heart and NOT feeling guilty about it.

It was coursing through his veins. Blood lust. I scared him and empowered him at the same time. He'd never felt angrier at another human being before. The pure hate that was only fathomed about in literature and cinema was eating him up inside. It was driving him crazy. Especially since he didn't really want to go to jail for murder anytime soon.

Booth heard footsteps, and as Darcy walked through the door, Booth resisted the urge to chuck Darcy's relatively heavy paperweight at his skull.

The look on Darcy's face when he saw Booth was one of pure terror and it lessoned Booth's wrath. Just a little.

"Hi there Darcy, I just stopped in for a little…" Booth paused, contemplating his word choice. "Chat."

Darcy started to back out of the office, but Booth was too quick for him and he had shoved Darcy against the wall and locked the door faster then Darcy had time to step backwards out of his office.

"No so fast Darc, we haven't even got to talking yet." He pushed his elbow into the other man's throat, glad he was on the upper side of this, because Darcy was taller then he was, and Booth wasn't confident enough to think he could totally take Darcy down. But he could today.

"What do you want?" Darcy managed to gasp out, which only made Booth push harder.

"Why did you do it? Do you get off on it? Hurting her?" Booth demanded.

Darcy sneered at Booth. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Booth punched him hard in the face, eliciting a groan from Darcy. Booth was frustrated enough already, and he hoped to god Darcy would provoke him so he could kill him.

"How about now, did that jog your memory a little?" Booth wasn't going to be lenient, not with this bastard.

"She had it coming." Darcy spat out, and Booth resisted strangling him.

"It takes all my will power not to hit you again." Booth clenched his jaw, as Darcy glared at him, his blank emotionless green eyes flashing arrogantly.

"The little bitch lied to me. She deserved it." This time Booth didn't resist as he pushed his elbow into Darcy's throat.

Booth brought his face closer to Darcy's. "Listen to me. You ever come near her again, I swear to god I will kill you, I won't think twice. You understand me? Never touch her again."

Darcy nodded, but Booth pressed harder. "I don't hear you Darc. Do you understand? You don't touch her. You don't come near her. You don't think of her."

"I understand." Darcy wheezed out, and Booth released his grip, straightening his tie as Darcy choked on the air entering his lungs.

Just as Booth was turning to go, Darcy spoke, his voice raspy from having his vocal chords crushed. He kept his hand at his throat, but he was still looking at Booth with those eerie eyes of his.

"She mention to you we had a date yesterday? After she left your place in the morning, she called me. Guess you really weren't good enough. Didn't screw her hard enough?"

Booth looked down, his jaw clenching tightly. Bones wouldn't. She had said she had wanted to be with him. She wouldn't. He trusted her.

Darcy nodded, a smug grin on his face, as he realized he had hit a nerve. "Uh huh. I guess I'm not the only one she lies to."

Booth shook his head, but as he walked past Darcy, he couldn't help but wipe that stupid smile off his face.

"Shut up." And that was the last thing Darcy heard before Booth knocked him out cold, his fist colliding with his right cheekbone, and strode out of the office, less satisfied then when he had come.

* * *

Brennan stared at her computer screen, desperately trying to concentrate on something that would take her mind off of the things it was screaming so loudly at her. She sighed, leaning back in her chair and running a hand through her hair. 

Booth. Darcy. The fact that she'd been hit by her boyfriend whom incidentally she'd been cheating on with her partner. The fact that said partner had failed on more than one occasion to tell her how he felt about her. And that frustrated her to no end, because she wasn't usually needy like that, but she wanted, no needed the reassurance that the relationship was more than just sex. More then their unrestrained lust.

That she shouldn't feel bad for feeling guiltier about seeing Darcy while she was with Booth, then cheating on her supposed boyfriend. And his anger at that was constantly running through her mind, thanks to the painful bruise on her right temple. It served as a constant reminder to what had happened. To what she had done. To the lies she had told, and to their excruciating consequences.

She sighed again, looking at her watch. It was nearly 12:45, and Booth was supposed to be meeting her for lunch, 20 minutes ago. Despite her best efforts, she was worried about her partner's lateness. Booth was almost never late. At least not for her.

Just as she was picking up her cell phone to press his speed dial, he strode through her door.

Brennan stood up, smiling as she made her way towards him. "Hey, I know we were going to the diner, but I saw this Italian place near my apartment, if you wanted to go, or…" She trailed off when she saw the scowl on his face.

"What's wrong?" She asked, her voice laced with concern.

Booth looked at her, still frowning, his hands jammed into his pockets. He could barely stand to look at her, the purple bruise still painfully visible on her temple. A reminder of the pain he could see she was obviously still feeling.

"I went to see Darcy this morning." He stated simply as if it wouldn't piss her off like he knew it would.

"What?! Booth after I asked you not to? You don't have to protect me all the time!" Brennan said exasperatedly, the frustration obvious in her voice.

"The guys hits you Bones." Booth said angrily, his eyes dark.

"He hit me once. Hit. Singular." She corrected, and Booth rolled his eyes.

"Oh ok, so if he only hit you once its ok?" He spat sarcastically at her, and he watched her eyes flash angrily.

"No its not ok Booth, but I don't need you to go over there and beat him up. Its not necessary!" She stated, as if this whole thing could be put up to logic.

Booth glared at her angrily, tired of her constant rationalizations. Especially about something so raw and emotional as this. "So he can beat up on you, but I cant go and knock some sense into the guy!?"

"I didn't ask you to! This is my problem not yours!" She was yelling now, and she was thankful the door to her office was closed.

"You are my problem Bones! Don't you get that!?" He yelled back at her.

"I'm sorry I'm such a pain in the ass to you! I didn't realize how much of a "problem" I was." Even though her voice was laced with fury, he could hear her trying to mask her hurt.

"I can't do this anymore Bones." His voice was level, and shock crossed her face at his words.

"What?" She could barely get the words out of her mouth, and it came out as more of a whisper then the forceful question she had intended.

"I can't handle this anymore. You're always lying to me. We can't have a relationship based on that." She hated how disappointed he sounded. It was enough to give her the will to punch him. But she didn't. Instead she fought the urge not to cry. _He doesn't deserve to see me cry. Don't cry. _She pushed down the tears, and she felt the fury take over her body again at his accusations.

She took a step towards him, her fists clenched tightly. "What are you talking about?"

He shook his head, a scowl on his face. "You know what I'm talking about. Darcy told me about your date. Yesterday?" He sounded disgusted at the words.

She paled. The date she'd made with Darcy. Booth couldn't leave her over that. She hadn't wanted to hurt him. It hadn't been a secret.

"Booth that's not what you think. I was going to tell him it was over."

"Why didn't you tell me?" He asked her coldly. She hated it when he spoke to her like that. So unattached. As if he couldn't stand to look at her.

"I didn't want to hurt you." She stated truthfully, but he just shook his head at her.

"So you thought lying about it would be the best option? Jesus Temperance…I can't do this." She hated that she wasn't able to read him like he could to her. If only she could know what he was really thinking.

_I have to leave. It's right. Me and Bones. We're wrong together._

_But why do I want to stay so badly?_

He turned to go, but she grabbed his arm. "No! You don't get to do this! You don't get to walk away from me. You're the reason I have a bruise on my fucking face!" The emotion was raw in her face, her eyes shining.

Booth laughed sarcastically. "The reason you have a bruise on your face is your boyfriend is psychotic and—,"

She cut him off. "He's NOT my boyfriend!" Brennan yelled in frustration.

"Really!? He's not? Its obvious you don't want to be with me, otherwise you wouldn't be lying about you dates with Darcy!" Booth's voice rose again, and his rage only increased as he took in the bruise on her face again. As the painful realization of his lack of protection shuddered through him again. He knew he really wasn't this mad at her. He was angry at what had happened. But at this point in their argument, there was no room for articulations.

"Maybe you're right!" She spat at him, her eyes flashing.

"Fine, I'll leave then!" Booth didn't step backwards, as they stood toe to toe, their faces dangerously close.

"Get out! Just go! If its what you want to frickin much!" He could hear the hurt in her voice, and as angry as he was, there was no place he'd rather be then next to her. Their eyes locked, and in a split second he hand bridged the space between them, pulling her close to him, and crashing their lips together heatedly.

The kiss was raw and feverent, as if they couldn't get enough of each other. It was full of the heat and passion that their argument had generated, and Brennan quickly drew her tongue between his lips, opening his mouth to hers, and Booth pulled her close to him, needing to feel her everywhere, his hips pressed closely against hers.

They'd kissed after arguments before. But this kiss wasn't a resolution, it was the climax. The anger was evident as they touched each other the way you did when you knew exactly what you wanted. One of Booth's hands's tangled in her hair, while the other traveled down to her ass, enjoying the curves of her waist and hips before squeezing her ass firmly.

She moaned lightly, as he pushed her against her desk, his hands lifting her up so she was perched precariously on the edge, his body close to hers as he lowered her down slowly, his fingers sliding underneath her shirt, while she moaned softly, her hands in his hair.

It was then as his fingers brushed the bottom of her ribs that she realized where they were. In her office. In the Jeffersonian. With the glass windows. She pulled away from the kiss, breathless. Booth looked at her in confusion, his eyes dark with lust.

"Booth, we're in my office. Someone could see…" She could barely get the words out, as his body was still pressed firmly under his, his arousal pressing through his jeans against her pelvis.

He nodded, and she bit her lip as he climbed off of her, grabbing her hand and yanking her forcefully without a word across her office, opening the door to the supply closet on the far side, and pulling her through into the small dark room, looking the door behind them. Her back was pressed against one of the shelves, and his eyes were dark as he watched her.

Tired of waiting, she pulled his lips to hers, and he quickly lifted her up, his hangers moving to her ass, as her hooked around his waist, enjoying the friction between them. Brennan moaned, as he wasted no time in pulling her shirt over her head, his lips across her clavicle and neck, pulling her bra straps down her shoulders, and she closed her eyes as his fingers unhooked her bra, and his fingers brushed across her breasts, followed by his lips, peppering soft kisses around them, and then finally brining her nipple into hir mouth, eliciting a moan from her, as he brought her nerves to a high.

He kissed down her stomach, and then back up to her lips, as she reached for the hem of his shirt, her hands traveling over his taut muscles, and he groaned as pulled it over his head, their bare skin finally pushed together.

They kissed, their lips craving each other, as Booth's hands made quick work of her jeans, pulling them off her slender legs as he held her in the air, her feet dangling inches off the ground, as she kicked her legs free.

His fingers traveled up the inside of her thighs, and she moaned as his fingers danced around her core, and hooked around the side of her panties, pulling the down around her legs, avoiding the place she wanted him most.

"Booth, please…" She pleaded, and she saw him smile, kissing her thoroughly, before letting her pull off his jeans and boxers, making him groan.

Booth acknowledged her plea, and positioned himself, slowly entering her. She moaned, and he groaned as her heat swallowed him, both of their nerves going crazy as he thrust into her deeply. Brennan dug her nails into his shoulders, gasping as he plunged deeper inside of her, his movements faster as they both reached their piques.

"Oh god, Booth…" She gasped, pulling at him tighter, as she tightened around him, feeling him climax seconds after, he collapsed on top of her, both of them breathless, their bodies tangled together.

It was completely quiet in the small supply closet; the only sound was their breath, echoing off of the walls. Booth reached for his jeans, pulling them on, as he watched Brennan curiously, her shirt already tossed haphazardly on, her pants halfway pulled up. She buttoned them quietly, and still neither of them said a word.

He wasn't quite sure what had just happened. Their argument. How their passion had exploded into this. Possibly the fieriest sex he'd had ever. But he shook his head, turning to go. She probably wanted the space.

He was surprised, when she felt her hand, grasping his desperately. He turned to look at her, and her eyes were pleading, shining brilliantly in the darkness.

"Booth, please stay." She looked up at him, that one word the only thing he'd wanted to hear for weeks. "Stay with me."

His fingers entwined with hers, as he turned to face her. "I'm not going anywhere Bones." And she let him get closer, wrapping his arms around her. Slowly she snuggled into him, as they leaned against the shelves, sliding down onto the ground, his arms holding her tightly. He kissed her hair lightly. And they stayed like that. Just like Brennan had asked.

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	7. Bittersweet

**_Again, its been a while, but I'm doing the best i can with my seriously INSANE scheduele...luckily i had a 5 day weekend and I was able to squeeze in a chapter, btw thanks for the AMAZING reviews last time guys, I really appriciate them :))R/r again please...thanks :)_**

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Brennan wasn't one for apologies. She struggled to find a way to say sorry even to Booth. Throughout their partnership they had bickered over little things like presence in the interrogation room and whose turn it was to drive. They fought over Brennan's abandonment issues and Booth's constant possessiveness over his partner. She'd shout and yell and cry, but sincerely saying sorry to Booth was incredibly difficult. Something about surrendering so much of herself to him, making herself so vulnerable, scared the shit out of her.

Especially like this. They'd fought as partners. As co-workers. When things were simple. They could fight and yell and tell each other that they hated each other, and in the morning they'd still be partners. But things were different now that they were in a relationship. With the intimacy and the vulnerability and the hurt that went along with that. Relationships ended. Love deteriorated. There was so much at stake when they fought now, and the one thing Brennan knew for certain was she didn't want to lose Booth.

And their argument yesterday had been their worst. The things they had said. What Booth had threatened. It had been her fault, all of it. Her lies, and her cheating, and her problems had been the thing that had caused their fight. And past all her logic and reasoning that it took two to argue, she felt horrible.

That was why, she had uncharacteristically, spent her entire Saturday afternoon, baking cupcakes. Yes, the famed writer, hard-ass forensic anthropologist, and completely undomestic Dr. Temperance Brennan had resigned herself to baking as her apology. She'd slaved over frosting, sprinkles, and icing placement for hours to make sure everything was **perfect. **

In the end, she ended up standing in front of Booth's door, a box of chocolate and vanilla cupcakes iced in hot pink and crimson frosting, one of them with the word "Sorry" written in black curvy scripted icing on the top. She glanced down at her watch, feeling oddly out of place, as if she had really ruined things with Booth. Yeah, they had had mad passionate climactic sex in her supply closet after their argument, but she still felt lost.

Brennan brushed her knuckles lightly across the door, and waited, but there was no response. She had seen his SUV in the parking lot, so maybe he just hadn't heard her. Suspending the cupcake box r in one hand precariously, she reached into the back of her black linen pants for Booth's "emergency" key. It might not be a logical emergency, but it felt like one.

The door opened with a satisfying click, and Brennan closed it behind her softly. It was unlikely that he was sleeping at…6 pm, but it never hurt to be careful. Golden sunlight flooded the empty apartment with warm light from the large windows overlooking DC. The sun was setting, and Brennan was glad she had gotten here before it disappeared completely. Breaking into someone's apartment seemed so much more sketchy if it was dark outside.

Brennan moved across the apartment she had come to know so well, leaving the box of cupcakes on Booth's counter, grabbing only the special sorry cupcake and one for her, and making her way over to where his bedroom door was closed. She hesitated for a second before knocking to enter. Horrible thoughts flashed through her mind. What if he was with someone else? What if he didn't want to see her? If he didn't forgive her? She had done it to him, with Darcy…so maybe he'd like to get revenge. Show her how it felt.

She shook her head for being unreasonable. _Booth would never to that to me._

She opened the door, with lingering apprehension, but was relieved when she saw a surprised Booth, watching what looked like a football game on his bed. He was wearing jeans and one of his old tattered ranger t-shirt, his face bathed in the quickly deepening light. She stood in the doorway, as he watched her, frozen.

"Bones? What are you doing here?" He asked in confusion, shutting off the television, moving to stand up, but she shook her head.

"No don't get up." She walked across the room, sitting at the end of his bed, a safe distance away from him, some of the awkwardness still lingering from their climactic fight yesterday. "I wanted to talk to you."

He appraised her curiously, glancing at the small box she was holding. _She always surprises me. _"Are you ok? Darcy didn't…" He trailed off, and Brennan got the obvious allusion. She shook her head.

"No, its not about Darcy. Or at least not all of it." She bit her lip in the way Booth found completely irresistible, but he had a feeling she had something serious to say, so he resisted bridging the stupid space between them and ravaging her.

Brennan moved closer to him, a movement that wasn't missed by either of them. "Booth, I know things have been complicated lately. And I know that I've been…" She trailed off as if she was trying to think of the words.

He watched her, waiting for her to continue. "I've been everything I promised myself I wouldn't. I lied to you .I pushed you away. And yesterday…I'm…" This was why she had made the cupcakes. The cupcakes with the nice obvious word SORRY written on them.

She reached into the box, extracting the cupcakes. "I made these for you. To show you how sorry I am. I'm so sorry Booth. About everything."

Booth grinned at her, as he took the cupcake. God, she was adorable sometimes. This might possibly go in his "Bones Top 10". Not that he would ever admit to her or anyone else that such a thing existed.

"You made me cupcakes?" He looked down at the bright red concoction, with the word "Sorry" written boldly on it.

Brennan wasn't sure if it was a good question or if he was unimpressed. "I thought you'd like them. You're always talking about how your mother used to bake, so I thought…" She smiled, and she knew that it was a good comment when he grinned back at her, taking a huge bite of his cupcake, and smiling even wider.

"Wow! Nice job Bones." She blushed, as she took a bite of her own cupcake, proud of her work. It had taken her the entire afternoon after all. They better taste pretty damn good.

Looking back up at him after a bite of her cupcake. "Booth, I just wanted to apologize for the past few months, and I understand if logically you decided to choose not to be with me anymore. Reasonably if you separated our relationships into pros and cons, there would be far more negatives than positives and--,"

Booth stopped her. "Bones, you're acting like it was all you. Like you're the one that complicated us so much. We both started this thing. You're not the one who punched yourself in the face. And yesterday, the things I said to you…You didn't deserve that. I was an ass, and I'm sorry." Booth looked at her, and she could see the shame in his eyes.

Still, he hadn't said that he still wanted to be with her. That was the problem with them, she never knew where she stood. That's why she loved him and hated him so much at the same time, he made her lean on him so damn much.

"It's ok. You were right." She looked down, and Booth could almost read her mind. "Bones, you know I want you. Stop pouting."

She glared at him, trying hard not to smile, but in the end, she surrendered and looked away, the smile dancing across her face.

He reached over, nudging her arm softly. "Come here."

Brennan finally gave in to her impulse to be close to him. Sitting at the end of the bed so far away from him, when he was sitting there, so tantalizing, his arms ready to pull her close, had been torture.

Crawling across the bed to snuggle in next to him, she nuzzled her head against his chest, as he wrapped his arms around her, and instantly she felt more at peace than she had in a while.

"You know I'm not going anywhere Bones." She glanced up at him, her blue eyes appraising. _Sometimes I'm not so sure. You still haven't told me you love me. And usually I'm not one for declarations of commitment, but I have to know. _

She nodded, enthralled in her thoughts. Booth reached over to take another bite of his cupcake, and he smiled in appreciation.

"Are you sure you didn't just buy these and pretend to bake them?" Booth asked suspiciously, and Brennan feigned insult, hitting Booth lightly on the chest.

"No, it was my mom's recipe actually. She made them on my 15th birthday, and gave me the recipe. This is the first time I've made them since." Brennan smiled at the memory, but Booth could hear the sadness in her voice.

"Blast from the past, huh?" He asked, trying to lighten up her mood, and she smiled.

"Yeah, she used to call them Penguin cupcakes, because they're chocolate and vanilla. I'd forgotten how good they were until now. "

He shook his head. "Bones, Bones, Bones, I can't believe you kept these a secret for all of our partnership. I would have pissed you off sooner if you were going to make me cupcakes."

She glared at him, something it was a tie between whether she wanted to hit him of kiss him. The first was definitely winning this round. There was always ways to get even. Especially with Booth. He was incredibly easy to toy with.

"Can I have some of you cupcake Booth?" She asked coyly, looking up at him, her eyes pleading.

He frowned at her, defensive over the delicious baked good. "You have you own."

"No, I want some of the frosting. Please." Booth had a hard time saying no to her, especially when she looked at him like that.

Booth almost reluctantly dipped his finger into the frosting of his cupcake so that she could lick it off. Brennan smiled, as she brought his finger to her mouth, sucking softly on the sweet frosting. She slid her teeth carefully over his skin, and then brought her mouth back to his knuckles, sliding her tongue around his finger, and sucking dangerously hard. She brought her eyes up to Booth, and was happy to see that her actions had had just the effect on him that she had hoped for.

Booth's head was tilted back, and she heard him groan as she once again slid her teeth against his knuckles, sucking up the last of sticky sweetness left on his finger. The

Booth wanted to kill her. He was 35, not 15, but still he found himself painfully turned on at her actions. And he knew Bones. It was obvious she was doing this on purpose, because one, his comment had probably annoyed her, two, Bones was a **huge** tease, and the likeness to his fingers and other parts of his anatomy was so painfully clear that he was having trouble keeping the will power up not to throw her down on the bed and punish her for being such a god damned tease. But the only thing he could think of right now was Brennan and frosting, and not only on her fingers…

She smiled up at him smugly as she finally pulled away from his fingers, but instead of snuggling back into his arms in a way that was completely innocent and might be able to curb his deep arousal, she climbed on top of him, straddling his hips in a way that was definitely not innocent.

As Brennan leaned over to get close to him, she ground herself onto him, the friction of his erection against her jeans making him groan as he reached for her hips to steady her. She smiled, as she kissed up his neck, Booth's eyes closing as her hands moved across his torso, and then to his t-shirt, pulling him closer to her as she bit his jaw lightly, finally crashing her lips into his in a heated kiss that was more full of sexual tension then even yesterday's embraces had been. It was then that Booth gave into her teasing, and pulled her against him, one of his hands sliding to her ass and squeezing tightly as he kissed her hard.

She smiled through their kiss, knowing that she had won. If there was anything that Booth was, it was not very resistant to her temptations. He almost never would reject a proposal to be with her, and she had found that she could use that to her advantage.

Brennan pulled away, out of breath, and smiling mischievously. "Thank you."

Booth was about to respond when the incessant vibrating of Brennan's phone which she had placed on his dresser interrupted him. She glanced over at it, and moved to pick it up.

"Don't." Booth's eyes were full of unadulterated lust, and she was intoxicated by him.

"It could be work. It could be important." She argued lamely, but Booth shook his head.

"It's Saturday Babe. No one calls on Saturday." The phone continued to vibrate as Brennan glared at Booth playfully.

"You sure?" But she didn't get a response, as Booth's hand tangled in her hair, pulling her lips back to his heatedly, like he couldn't get enough of her.

Just as she was reaching for the zipper on his jeans, the phone chirped cheerfully, signaling she had a new voice message. "Booth, I have to get it."

He frowned, but allowed her to climb off of him, groaning begrudgingly. If anything could ruin a mood, it was definitely Brennan's phone. It always seemed to go off at the most obnoxious moments. She smiled at him, as she dialed in her password, waiting to hear what the phone so desperately wanted to tell her.

"I'll be right back, ok?" Brennan mouthed to Booth as she stepped into the living room, and he nodded, sitting up. Maybe it was good their mood had been ruined. They seemed to fall back on sex a lot of the time, and Booth wanted to make sure that Brennan knew he saw her as more than a object of pleasure. Although she was definitely that.

Brennan tapped her fingers on the chair, as the phone repeated to her at what time the message had been received. And then the voice that came out of the tiny speakers froze her completely.

"Temperance, its Darcy. I was just calling to make sure you're keeping your promise. You stay away from him, you hear me. Stay away from him!" His voice was harsh and cold, and Brennan felt the same fear that she had felt when he had cornered her. The same terror.

And then dial tone. It was simple, and that's what made it so frightening. She had no idea if he as watching her, but he definitely was still angry. Furious even. And she didn't want to make him angrier.

Booth appeared in the doorway, smiling, his hair messed up as he leaned against the frame. "Who was it?"

She smiled weakly. "Wrong number." She hated herself for lying, but she wanted to go back to their moment. She didn't want Darcy ruining this. She would deal with it later.

"Listen , I was wondering if you wanted to watch a movie. Do something normal for a change?" He asked hopefully, and she smiled a little more genuinely this time.

"Yes, that'd be nice." Taking a step closer to him, she reached out to touch his chest. "What we do isn't normal?"

"No it is, but I thought we could do something...coupley." He sounded hesitant, but she put a hand on his arm to reassure him, even though there was nothing she was sure of right now. "I like being a couple with you Booth."

He smiled and leaned down, brushing his lips against hers softly. "Me too," He smiled at her broadly before making his way over to his vast collection of DVD's. "So what'll it be? Indiana Jones? Ferris Bueller's Day Off?"

She shrugged, watching him thumb through the titles. "Anything…anything you want."

It was the most comfortable she'd felt all week, but with Darcy's chilling phone call in the front of her mind, and the lie she had just let slip, there was very little that she feel sure about. She smiled over at Booth, wishing that when she snuggled back into his arms, everything would just go back to the way it was. But that was impossible. And she knew it. For once, she wished the impossible was possible.

Just this once.

* * *

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	8. Almost Happy Ending

**_OMG...guys wow it has been exactly a little longer than 4 months...I am such a bad bad author, but I didnt forget this story, things were just so incredibly hectic...I didnt even give you a warning, which I am so sorry for, seriously...so if you still have this on alert, here is a new chapter, and I promise I will update sooner rather than later...Thanks, R/R please :))_**

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Although she pretended to be immune to the society's delusional views of "true love" and "the happy ending" Brennan couldn't deny that some part of her, the deeply feminine and traditional part, as small as it might be, was happily charmed when Princess Buttercup kissed her handsome prince at the end of the "The Princess Bride". And she couldn't help but smiling thinking about the similarities in her life to the fairytale version of the movie. Sure, there were no Cliffs of Insanity or 6 Fingered Men, but there was a prince charming, and hopefully there would be a happy ending.

Brennan didn't usually like thinking of a man rescuing her, she was perfectly capable of rescuing herself thank you very much, but with Booth it was almost undeniable. He had saved her in every way possible, from the beginning of their partnership all the way up to this odd limbo-like place they were wavering in right now. He'd kept her safe, or as safe as they could be, and she'd never doubted that he'd be there. Plus, he did have those chiseled good looks which usually define a handsome prince.

She snuggled into Booth's chest where they were curled up underneath a blanket together on the center of his lusciously comfortable couch. Again, she usually wasn't much of a snuggler, but she couldn't resist the feeling of Booth's strong arms around her, and the warmth that enveloped her body seconds later. He smelled sweet, and the way his fingers traced circles on her knuckles absentmindedly while they watched the movie made it impossible for her to even attempt to move away. She was sucked in.

Pulling her out of her state of bliss, Booth's lips brushed against her ear lobe as he spoke. "So did you like the movie?"

She smiled, turning towards him, readjusting so that she was sitting on his lap underneath the soft wool blanket, his hands instinctually wrapping around her waist. "Yes, although many scenarios were nearly impossible, like giant rodents, I found it extremely satisfying, thanks."

Booth grinned down at her, resisting the urge to kiss her. Sitting curled up with his partner, or lover, or whatever she was after she had nearly taken off his pants on his bed was quite a good exercise for his self control.

"Princess Bride is a classic; I can't believe you'd never seen it." As she turned her face towards him, he got a closer glimpse of the deeply bruised skin on her temple, and his stomach dropped, his hands turning into fists instinctually around her waist.

Brennan smiled lightly, trying to think of a response, but instantly after the numbing façade of the movie fell away, the only thing she could think about was the chilling voicemail from Darcy. Instead of the warm glow she'd felt radiating from the tips of her toes she felt extremely nauseous. Talk about change of heart.

Obviously she'd been in a contemplative silence for too long, as Booth squeezed her lightly around the waist to get her attention. "Bones? Hello?"



She shook her head in distress, "Sorry, my mind was somewhere else." She didn't want to worry Booth, she could handle Darcy now. It was her mess and she could definitely clean it up. All it took was a crescent kick and a good right hook.

_Except Darcy is extremely strong and intimidating and he already hit me once. Easily._

"Yeah, obviously. You ok?" She looked into his warm brown eyes, and part of her longed for his solace, but she needed to finish things with Darcy once and for all. And she wasn't lying to Booth, she just needed it to be over.

_I'm withholding the truth. Completely different._

She tried to smile brightly, and hoped he wouldn't see through it. She lifted her hand to his cheek, feeling the roughness where he obviously hadn't shaved. "Yeah I'm fine, don't worry."

Booth frowned, "But I'm just concerned Bones because--," She cut him off as she pulled his lips to hers, kissing him sweetly. She wouldn't have to lie if she could just kiss him. It was a win-win situation for both of them.

Although he was worried, Booth took no time in kissing her back, fisting a handful of her hair, his other arm wrapped around her waist tightly as he kissed her hotly, his tongue stroking hers, heating up the kiss, and telepathically telling her not to stop.

And for the moment, Brennan her obsessive stalker boyfriend and was lost in the lustful kisses Booth was placing on her neck, and then sucking on her collarbone, pulling at the t-shirt she was wearing. She moaned, making those whimpering noises that drove Booth so crazy.

Brennan took no time readjusting so that she was straddling him, comfortably, his hands on her hips, this time not hesitating to lift the hem of her shirt over her head before her stupid phone rung again. If they were naked, hopefully she wouldn't answer it.

Leaning down, Brennan pressed her lips to his ear while she ground her pelvis against his hips, making him groan as his arousal was obvious through his jeans. "Still worried about me?" Her voice was husky and unbearably sexy, and for the moment, the only thing Booth was worried about was taking her as quickly as possible.

He ran his hands up her sides and her ribs, up to her bra straps which he slid off her shoulders before undoing her bra clasp and letting it fall to the ground, revealing enough skin to satiate Booth for the time being.

He shook his head, "Not so much." She smiled in satisfaction as he kissed down her neck fervently.

She gasped as he nipped at her shoulders before, placing light kisses around her sternum and then taking one of her breasts in his mouth, his tongue circling her nipple, as she moaned in pleasure, arching up ward, one of her hands clasped in his hair.



"Shit Booth…" She trailed off, as he kissed her fiercely, his fingers reaching for the button of her jeans, but she stopped him.

"What?" He asked forcefully he knew, but he was so unbelievably turned on, he didn't care if the apartment was burning around him, he needed her.

"I think I'm losing clothing a whole lot faster than you," She smiled mischievously, as she reached for the hem of his sweatshirt, pulling it over his head, and biting her lip self-indulgently as she realized he wasn't wearing a shirt underneath, his tanned muscles rippling across his torso. His skin was hot from the combination of foreplay and his fleecy sweatshirt, and she ran her hands across his chest, pressing her body against his to gain the warmth.

"That better?" He asked cockily, and she didn't deny him the ego boost as she ran her eyes up and down his torso and the impressive bulge pressing against her hips.

She smiled, nodding. "Much." He silenced her, his arousal even stronger at her obvious approval, kissing her thoroughly as he reached for the button on her pants, eager to divulge both of them of the rest of the stupid clothing.

"Bedroom, now." Booth nodded, as she wrapped her legs eagerly around his hips, giving them both a greedy pressure, he kissed her heatedly, closing the door behind them, where he planned to make sure neither of them had anything to worry about for a few pleasure filled hours.

It was exactly what they needed.

Booth hadn't felt so completely satisfied in a long time. He lay in bed, the nearly full moon finely showing its face after days of rain, laying long shadows across the bed, as his beautiful partner lay with her head on his chest, the only thing shielding her body from him was the dark blue sheets that they were both entangled in.

He let his fingers trace patterns on the smooth skin of her back, as she breathed deeply, her ribs visible as she stared out the window, obviously in a deeply pensive state. But he could see the hints of a smile still playing on her lips, and he couldn't help from smile too. Making her come 3 times in an hour was definitely something to smile about.

She turned, pulling away from him slightly to push up on her elbows and face him, "What are you smiling about?"

He leaned forward, kissing her softly. "I was just thinking about you screaming my name; it sort of put me in a good mood."



She blushed, but smiled, elbowing him lightly under the sheets. Brennan felt amazingly comfortable lounging in Booth's bed with him, as if this was how they were always supposed to be. 24/7. If there was a god, she wished that they could stay like this forever. "Don't used to it buddy, I should probably get going."

She saw his face fall in disappointment, and then watched as he regained his composure quickly. "What? No don't go Bones. Its late. Stay the night."

Booth tried not to sound desperate, but he wanted nothing more than to fall asleep with her in his arms. Keep her safe. The thought of his bed empty of her, made him sick to his stomach. He had a feeling that having Temperance Brennan sleep with him was going to be addictive.

"I don't know Booth. I have no clothes…" She trailed off, trying to think of a better excuse.

He shook his head, not letting her get off that easily. "Tomorrows Sunday, you don't need clothes. Besides, I like you the way you are."

She smiled, weighing the pros and cons of the situations. Naked Booth, versus lonely drive and empty bed. It wasn't hard to judge.

"I just want you Bones." Booth's statement was so simple, but she felt her heart healing a little bit when he said it. Having someone need her and want her was so alien, that she wanted to wrap her arms around him and never let go.

She was about to open her mouth to respond, when a angry shrilling pierced the air. Booth's phone was ringing, and all of a sudden everything came rushing back in at her like a flood. Darcy's terrifying call and the pain and lying. She knew that it was probably just a random telemarketer, calling Booth, but her fight or flight instincts reacted none the less.

She shook her head, pulling herself out of his arms. "No I have to go, really." She clamored out of bed, reaching for her clothes which had been discarded haphazardly. Her heart felt like it was going a million miles a minute.

"Bones, what's wrong?" Booth looked at her in hurt confusion from the bed, and she didn't turn to look at him, knowing her heart was break if she looked into his eyes.

"I just have to go. Sorry." Finding only her jeans and bra, she threw on Booth's sweatshirt, tripping on the door frame on her way out.

"Bones, wait!" Booth was out of bed, his boxers on, trying to follow her through the apartment, but he heard the slamming of the door before he even got out of the bedroom.

He leaned against the doorframe, knowing going after her would be no use, she was probably already in her car by now. What had set her off? He rubbed his temples, praying she'd stay safe, and wondering what the hell had happened.

**Review please if you're still even reading..xo Thanks :))**


	9. Over the Edge

**Ok, hey everyone. I know it seems as I have definitely abandoned all of my stories which I feel so sad about, because I definitely love writing them, and I know how they're all going to end, especially this one and its sooo frustrating because school has been so overwhelming this year and i feel like i have no time to write, and I HATE it...ugh...anyways, nice long chapter for you, seriously it has smut and angst and everything...so if you're still reading, enjoy :)**

_2 ½ Months Ago_

It was a Saturday afternoon. There were no work obligations, no pressing cases, no murderers or serial killers out of the loose for them to capture and throw behind bars. He shouldn't have been over at her apartment. Shouldn't have tempted herself like that. After that one night, it seemed like all she could think about when she saw Booth was the way he had been as a lover not as a partner. Even looking at him made her feel aroused; she looked at his hands and all she saw was the way he had caressed her breasts, her thighs, carrying her to the bedroom. When he talked, all she imagined was how his lips had attacked hers, kissing her hotly and exploring her lips with his tongue, how they had trailed down her body, making her moan his name in ecstasy. All she wanted was to do was take his hand, drag him to the parking lot so they could have one moment alone. But since that night, all she could do was think about him, and all he seemed to want to do was avoid her.

The past two weeks had been filled with tension, as Booth barely spoke two words to her, and couldn't seem to even get up the courage to look at her. She was confused, to say the least. He was the one who had come to her door and declared his love and lust for her. Obviously, he wasn't interested anymore. Had she not been good enough? Was there someone else? She hated herself for letting her insecurities get the better of her, when usually she was the picture of cool and calm, but Booth tended to do that to her.

Her emotions were running like crazy, desires and urges for her partner mixed with hurt and confusion why he hadn't seemed to want to talk to her since that night he'd knocked on her door and screwed her better and harder than any lover she'd ever had. Not only was she thinking about Booth, but she also felt immensely guilty, she also, had a boyfriend. Darcy was nice and sweet and smart, and she should have wanted to be with him, but instead all she could do was imagine fantasies of her partner shoving her up against the wall and doing her right there in the middle of the lab.

It wasn't exactly very conducive to work, or sleep, or any of the other elements of her life which she usually liked to partake in.

That's why she had told Darcy that she had plans with Angela all of Saturday, when in reality she had made plans with Booth, someone who was decidedly more friendly than Angela. It had taken a lot of courage to call up Booth, when he seemingly didn't want anything to do with her. He had agreed that he would help her when she had come up with the terrible excuse that she had a leak and needed his help. It wasn't like her to skirt the issue, but she had the sinking feeling that he wouldn't want to see her unless there was a legitimate reason.

That was how she had ended up, handing him utility tools while he stood on a ladder, trying to fix one of the rusty pipes in her ceiling.

"Bones can you hand me the wrench please?" He looked down at her, extending his hand.

"Yeah sure," She rolled her eyes. This was not how she had imagined this afternoon, but so far, she hadn't really gotten up the courage to talk about the one thing that was on both of their minds.

Handing him the wrench, he nodded in thanks, and she couldn't help but admire his strong arms under his dirty white undershirt which he had stripped down to as soon as the molding from the ceiling had fallen on him. She sighed, and all of a sudden she felt angry. What had she done to deserve this? This horrible dismissal, as if she had been the worst fuck in the entire world.

"Screwdriver please Bones?" He didn't look down, and she shook her head.

"No." She was done with his stupid games.

He looked down confused. "What?"

"Was I not good enough for you?" He took a step down from the ladder, so he was closer to her height.

"What are you talking about Bones?"

She glared at him. "You know exactly what I'm talking about Booth. Was I not a good enough fuck for you, is that the problem?"

_Oh shit._

He stared at her, knowing that she was going to confront the issue sooner or later. She obviously hadn't invited him over just so he could fix her leak. She was pissed off, he knew that look in her eyes. And he did deserve it. He had been an ass for weeks, ignoring her, and not even looking her in the eyes when they spoke, but all he could do was think about that night.

When he saw her, all he could remember was her bare flesh under his lips and hands, and the way she had moaned and screamed his name, telling him that he was the best she'd ever had. Sighing as his lips and hands pleasured her. Begging him for more, for it to be faster, harder. Sex with Bones had been amazing, mind-blowing, better than he'd ever had. God, he wanted her more than he'd ever wanted anyone. All he thought about when they were together was taking her right then and there. And that was the problem, he couldn't stop thinking about her. But she was so off limits, it wasn't even laughable. She had a boyfriend, and she was his unattainable partner, which he had managed to finally attain, and here she was standing in front of him, arms crossed angrily over her chest, asking if she hadn't been a good enough lay for him. That was definitely not the problem.

"Bones, its not you, _---," He started, stepping off the ladder, but she cut him off.

"Don't give me bullshit Booth. I want to know why it was so goddamn horrible for you." Although she was trying hard to mask it, he could see that she was also hurt by his behavior, and he didn't blame her.

He took another step closer to her, so he was also touching her arms with his chest. She took a step backwards, but hit the wall behind her next to where the ladder was propped. "I wasn't horrible for me Bones."

She sneered, "Really? It wasn't? Then why have you been ignoring me like I'm the plague? Its fine Booth, I just want to hear you say it."

He shook his head. "I took advantage of you."

She looked at him confused. "What?"

"I took advantage of you. You have a boyfriend, and I used you. I never should have come to your apartment; I shouldn't have said those things. I'm sorry."

"Don't you dare say that to me, you think I didn't know that I have a boyfriend? I did, and I let it happen anyways, but you're sorry for sleeping with me, not for being an asshole afterwards. You're unbelievable, really." She turned away from him shaking her head, but he reached out for her arm, spinning her back around, so she was pressed tightly against him.

He had controlled himself when he came to her apartment, trying to ignore the way she had smelled when she walked past him, and how her shirt had ridden up to expose inches of creamy white skin when she stepped up onto the ladder, or how her ass had looked like in her tight jeans. He had been used to ignoring those things about her for years, but he was done, and her accusatory words had sent him over the edge, making his crotch tighten painfully as he held her tightly, one of his arms around her waist.

Leaning over, he whispered huskily in her ear. "Do you think I can control myself when I'm around you? Huh? That every time I look at you, all I can think about is you screaming my name, and how hot it gets me. That you looked so fucking beautiful in that dress that maybe I couldn't even keep my hands off you?"

She shuddered at his harsh words, but couldn't help but be painfully aroused as he held her tightly against him, closer than they'd been in weeks. She could feel his growing erection pressing against her, and she ground against him needing the friction between them.

He shook his head. "Do you know how hard it is to stand in the same room with you and not be able to touch you? To not be able to put my hands all over you because you're mine? And you want it too, that's the worst part, I can barely even look at you because I can almost read your mind, knowing that you're thinking about it too."

She ground against him harder, her core pulsing painfully now, needing to be touched, but he seemed content trying to torture her. "Do you think I'm going to be able to resist you doing that?" He took one hand trailing it up her stomach underneath her shirt, squeezing her breast over her bra, and she moaned, arching her back so she could get more pressure against his hand as he caressed her maddengly. She was supposed to have the upper hand here, that was the whole point, but somehow she had ended up pressed up against the wall while he touched her and drove her crazy with his words. "You want it so badly. Tell me."

She hated him for making her weak, but she felt his other hand trail down towards her hips, unbuttoning her jeans, and slowly pulling down the zipper so he could plunge a hand into her pants, stroking her through her panties. She pushed herself against his hand, moaning loudly as her head fell back against the wall.

"Booth, oh god, more. Please more." He continued his stroking, and thrust one finger into her, making her moan again.

"Tell me Temperance. Tell me why you want this so badly." She looked up to see his eyes dark with arousal and desire, and in that moment she hadn't wanted anyone as much as him.

She groaned as he thrust another finger into her, "I..I've never been with someone like you before Booth. I want to be with you…" She paused as a wave of ecstasy pulsed through her, temporarily stunning her speechless. "You're all I think about," She paused again, looking up into his eyes meaningfully. "Not just for the sex."

That sent him over the edge, and pulled her face to his, kissing her deeply, as he moved his hand away from her, causing her to whimper, to quickly unzip his pants, and lift her up so her legs were wrapped around him tightly, as he impaled himself on her. She moaned as she sunk on to him, and he started thrusting into her, slowly at first, but he was encouraged as she continued her moaning, in unison with his thrusts.

"Seeley, god..." Hearing her say his name drove crazy, and he could feel the pleasure building up in his groin, as he could see her about to hit the edge, her skin flushing pink as she tightened around him, screaming as he exploded within her. They stopped, and he let her down softly, both of their skin wet with sweat, as he held her tightly against him, pressing a kiss on her forehead.

He picked her up, carrying her to the couch, where he lay her down next to him, snuggling into his chest, he could feel her breezing start to calm down, as he stroked her back softly.

"I want to be with you too Bones." She nodded, her eyes closed, and then all of a sudden, she looked up with a start.

"What about Darcy, Booth? God, I'm horrible. He's going to be so hurt." She shook her head, and he could see the guilt wash over her almost immediately.

"You should end it with him Bones, and not just because I want you all to myself. Before someone gets hurt." _Possibly me._

"I can't Booth. He'll be suspicious, what am I supposed to say?" Her eyes were fearful, and he leaned down, kissing her softly.

"I don't know, this isn't the biggest of our problems. Lets just get through today, ok? All that matters it that you're here."

She nodded, leaning back down against his chest. "Ok."

They both closed their eyes, listening to each others' breathing, and they dozed off into a dreamless sleep, finding peace for the time being.

If only they knew that their smallest problem was about to be their biggest.

_Present Day_

Brennan didn't care that she was speeding. She hoped that a cop would give her a ticket for going 90 miles per hours on the highway, so that she would have an extra 10 minutes to distract her from the shit hole that her life had become.

She was a cheater, a liar, and, she noted begrudgingly, a victim of domestic abuse. She had just left the man, who she was quite certain she was in love with, alone and naked in bed, because she had been afraid of a phone call.

Her boyfriend, or ex-boyfriend, or whoever he was, had hit her, and was now on a rageful mission of vengeance against she and Booth. She hated herself right now. All of the choices which she had made in the past 3 months had seemed to be the wrong ones, and she was angry at herself because in the past, she had prided herself on making well-educated, rational decisions. Obviously not anymore.

As she switched lanes, she thought about the moments which had led up to the culmination of this horrible feeling in the pit of her stomach. She had slept with Booth, that was true, but she should have left it at that, a momentary lapse in judgment. But of course, she couldn't do that. She had purposely continued to pursue Booth, who seemed to actually have a rational thought in his mind to not sleep with her again, and broken him down until he finally caved. She remembered that afternoon against the wall in her apartment, how she had continued to push him until he couldn't stop. That was the moment when they were too far gone to ever stop. Booth was like a drug, a dangerous addiction, that she didn't want to let go of.

She should have broken up with Darcy far before that day, weeks before, and maybe, she and Booth would have been ok by now. But they weren't, and everything was broken into a million pieces, including her.

She screeched into the parking structure of her apartment, shutting the door of her car quickly behind her, and sprinting up the flights of stairs up to her apartment. She was too shaky to wait for the elevator to take her up, and the adrenaline pumping through her veins didn't do well for her patience either.

She fitted her key into the lock on her door, and pushed it open, surprised when she reached to flip on the lights and they were already on. She looked into her apartment curiously, and felt her heart stop as Darcy stepped out from the hallway, looking maniacal as he appraised her.

She stopped, not moving. Her feet seemed stuck, but she reached behind her, feeling the doorknob, her only means of escape. "Darcy, what are you doing here?"

"I just want to talk Tempe, that's all I want." He took a step closer to her, and she could feel the fear pound through her veins just like it had when she had seen his number on the caller ID.

"How did you get in here?" She was trying to buy time, to get him talking so she could open the door and run as far as she could away.

"I can pick locks pretty well. I'm sure Booth can too, but you don't seem quite as enamored with my skills as you are by his." He smiled at her tauntingly, and she shuttered.

He didn't move any closer to her; instead he sat down on her couch as if this was a comfortable meeting. As if he was still her boyfriend who she had kissed and talked to about her life. She glared at him, feeling a little bit of her strength return. "Booth doesn't break into my apartment Darcy."

Darcy shrugged. "Well whatever, I needed to get in. I needed to talk to you." She took a step backwards, and started to turn the knob, a move that didn't go unnoticed by Darcy.

"Oh not too fast Tempe, we haven't even talked." She shook her head in disgust. "I don't want to talk to you."

She was about to pull the door open so she could attempt an escape, when she heard the familiar clicking of the barrel of a gun, and when she looked up, she saw the reason he had been so nonchalant in approaching her. She was looking straight down the barrel of a .22 pistol, and there seemed to be no way of escape.

"Sit down Tempe. Really, I insist." She cursed herself inwardly. Again with the bad decision making, she should've stayed at Booth's, because right now as she forced herself to move towards the couch, she had the sinking feeling that this really wasn't going to end well.

**_If anyone is still reading, please read and review, I really appriciate your guys' comments. Thanks! Cheers!_**


	10. For You

_**Ok well...hmmm 4 months later and a new post, it takes me sooo long, so most likely there prob wont be another post for at least 3 weeks because i am going to Africa, how amazing is that?! I do have a one shot almost done, so that should be posted, but hopefully i will be inspired on safari, and if you are reading this still, I LOVE you and apprieciate your reviews sooo much, sorry I am the suckiest poster, but it is summer so this story will be more diligently taken care of and hopefully my others ones too, R/R please! Thanks, xo**_

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_Two Months Ago_

It had been a long night, and not for the reasons a date usually was long. Darcy was neither overly succinct nor boringly long winded. He was interesting and smart and charming and kind, and they had been out so many times before. He was her boyfriend after all, and as he had walked her to her door, and kissed her goodnight, she had sensed that after their 6th date, he was expecting some sort of sexual interaction.

However, as she had on every date previously, she had denied him entrance to her apartment, telling him to call her. Maybe if she kept making the subtle hint that he wouldn't be having sex with her anytime soon, he would stop calling, and she wouldn't be having this problem anymore.

The problem being that she was sleeping with her entirely gorgeous and entirely obnoxious partner Seeley Booth. Not only had it been over a month since she and Booth started sleeping together, but she had also neglected in ending it with Darcy, as every time she looked at him, she felt immensely guilty and simply could not get the 10 easy words out, "I don't think we should see each other anymore."

Booth was getting more and more irritated with her at this, and while they were exploring a more intimate aspect of their relationship, finding herself in his arms nearly every night, they were arguing more than ever as Booth continued to urge her to break it off with Darcy.

He was jealous, and she didn't blame him. As Booth put it, Darcy got to take her out without hiding and kiss her whenever he wanted without having to worry about anyone seeing, and Booth had to act like her sloppy seconds. She had scolded Booth for referring to her as some sort of sex toy, but still she saw his point of view. However, she hadn't seen his point of view when he refused to come over Saturday night after her date with Darcy, and had hated how he had stomped off at her on Friday, telling her to enjoy her weekend with her "boyfriend" and maybe he'd find something else to do. She hadn't missed the insinuation that "something" else was obviously supposed to mean he would find "someone" else to do.

So when she kissed Darcy goodnight outside her door, letting him linger a little bit longer in the kiss because she knew for certain that Booth would not be coming tonight, and she felt bad for leading Darcy on like she was. He was a good kisser, but there was no one she felt the spark with, the distinctive passion with like she did with Booth.

Unlocking her door, she dropped the keys on the table, and reached for the lights, her eyes squinting in the bright illumination of her apartment. She sighed, feeling even more stressed than she had before her date with Darcy, half wishing she had Booth over to calm her down, and half still angry about their fight the day before, wishing Booth was there so she could smack him. Before she had a chance to remove the ridiculously high heels she only wore on dates, there was a loud knocking on the door which didn't stop.

"I'm coming, I'm coming." She guessed it was Darcy, forgetting something, so she didn't bother to look through her peephole, but her intruder, as soon as she opened the door, pushed her out of the way, shut the door behind him, and pushed her up against it, trapping her between his hands before she could even comprehend what was happening.

She breathed in surprise as she looked up at Booth, his face in shadows as she hadn't clicked on the lights to her hallway, only to her living room.

"You just couldn't stay away tonight, could you Booth?" She stuck her chin out defiantly, her high ponytail swinging. She couldn't resist trying to push his buttons. He had after all, made a point about staying away tonight.

He ignored her dig, and instead looked her up and down lustily. "I had to see you." His voice was husky.

"Darcy could have seen you, you know. You have to be more careful." She scolded, trying not to be swayed by the fact that he was inches away and she was aching to touch him.

"I don't care. Why do you dress up for him Bones? You look beautiful, for him, not me. I fucking hate that. Do you understand?" He was angry; she could see that, as his eyes lingered on her breasts in the scoop neck of the deep burgundy dress she was wearing. It flared out below the bust, and ended inches above her knees.

She tried to move closer to him, but his fingers moved to her shoulders, pressing her there. She wanted to touch him, so badly. "You're here now."

"Damn it Bones, you don't get it. I'm here, but I know he just kissed you, he looked at you all fucking night in that dress, and those shoes, and you're all he's going to think about when he goes to sleep tonight."

She leaned her head towards him, "I didn't kiss him like this." His group loosened lightly on her shoulders, and she reached up, pulling his lips to hers, biting his bottom lip playfully, and then sucking on it. She felt his hands go to her waist, pulling her tightly against him so she could feel his erection pressing at her through his pants. She ground against him, moaning softly into his mouth.

Pulling away, she smiled at him, her lips trailing across his jaw and the stubble there, and then down his neck, sucking on his throat, and then biting him lightly as he groaned, his eyes closing. "And he can….think… about… me… all he likes ….but… I'm….with…. you."

He pressed her against the wall again, this time more forcefully, threading one of his hands through her hair, the other around her waist, as he pulled her lips to his forcefully, entwining her tongue with his hotly.

Lifting her effortlessly, she encircled her legs around his waist, his lips went to her throat sucking at her pulse points, making her head fall back as she moaned. She leaned over as he continued down towards her collar bones and breasts, her lips brushing his earlobe.

"I can even keep the shoes on if you want." He laughed, cupping her chin and pulling her lips to him again, as she smiled against him.

"Keep them on," He growled against her lips, as he carried her to the bedroom, her dress falling away, until all that remained was a pair of extremely high heeled stilettos, reserved only for him.

_Present Day_

Brennan had been in this situation plenty of times before. She had stood with Booth countless times when serial killers and murderers and kidnappers pointed their guns at them, threatening to shoot. She had not been afraid then. Not felt this overwhelmingly terrifying burst of adrenaline shoot through her veins making her hands shake as she gripped the side of her couch.

Maybe it was the fact that before this, she had had Booth standing next to her always, his gun ready and aimed quicker than she had time to be afraid. He was an FBI agent; an army ranger trained sniper. When Booth shot, he never missed, and that was why she wasn't afraid.

But now, standing in her empty apartment, completely alone without Booth anywhere in sight, the barrel of Darcy's gun pointed directly between her eyes, she was terrified. She had underestimated Darcy, that was for sure. How could she have been so stupid? Her people skills were sub-par, she couldn't read a person anymore than Booth could read bones, what made her be so arrogant to think that for once she could pick someone who wasn't completely insane?

She took a step towards Darcy who was looking at her menacingly from the other side of his gun.

"Darcy, we can talk about this. Just put the gun down."

She heard her voice waver, and she tried to reach for some less fearful, more reasonable part of her, but there was nothing reasonable about her ex-boyfriend pulling a gun on her.

"No. You don't get to give the orders around here Temperance." He sneered, glaring at her.

She nodded, her voice weak as she spoke."Ok. Please Darcy, I'm asking you. Please put it down."

He shook his head vehemently, his eyes cold as he looked at her. "This Temperance?" He gestured to the gun. "Does it make you afraid, does it scare you? For once, you don't have the upper hand do you, you can't control this no more than you can control what I do with it."

She bit her lip, not knowing how to respond, instead she just stood there silently, rooted to the spot, her fingers wrapped around the side of the door. He sounded maniacal. He ran his hand over the barrel of the gun, turning it around in his hand.

"What I really wanted Temperance, was for you to walk in here with him, because he's the one I really want to use this on, put a bullet right into the back of that cocky head of his." She felt her eyes widen as the image of Darcy shooting Booth made her visibly cringe.

She tried to speak again, but it came out plaintively. "Darcy, I'm so sorry for what happened. I really am, I didn't mean to hurt you."

He laughed, as if the whole thing was just a big joke. "You did Temperance, already. Damage done. Even though I tried to give you a second chance, I **told** you to stay away from him."

"After you punched me in the face, do you think I took in anything you said that day?" The words came spilling out angrily before she could stop him, and she shut her eyes momentarily, waiting for the crack of the gun which was inevitable.

Brennan saw the anger ripple across his face, as he stopped turning the gun around in his hand, and point it at her again. "Fuck Temperance! I'm not a bad guy, you just…jesus, you can't screw around like you did and not see the consequences! Not even feel bad about it."

The adrenaline which had rooted her to the spot before, was sending anger at being the victim pump through her, and she wanted to stand up for herself. As him if he had threatened every single one of his girlfriends whom had cheated on him, but she literally bit her lip to keep from saying it.

"I do feel bad Darcy! I didn't plan what happened with Booth." She knew she needed to fabricate something, buy herself time. "I ended it with him too, there was nothing there for me." The falsity in the statement was blatant, but she hoped he believed it, hoped it would quell some of his rage.

Darcy narrowed his eyes, keeping the gun trained on her. He was a lawyer after all, trained to see the truth in the liars. "You're lying."

She shook her head feverishly. "No, no I'm not. I just left his place. I ended it."

Darcy continued to stare at her, gestured with the gun to bring her towards him. "Come here."

She obeyed, worried the consequences would lead to the gun being actually used, so she moved her feet, each seeming like lead as she got closer to him.

As soon as she was in arms reach, he used the butt of the gun, swinging it hard across her face before she could even step backward. The pain was hard and searing, and her vision doubled in front of her, metal collided hard with her skull. She could feel the hot trickle of blood before she saw it out of the corner of her eye, and did nothing as he pushed her up against the wall beside the couch, pressing the gun against her chin, his other hand wrapping painfully around her waist.

He leaned down, his hot breath against her ear, his fingers stroking the side of her cheek as she tried to wriggle away. "Don't lie to me."

"I didn't." She managed to breath out, his arm against her waist constricting her breathing. He raised the gun about to hit her again, when he was stopped by a fervent knocking on the door.

Darcy pushed his hand against her mouth, "Shut up. If you say anything I will shoot you."

She nodded, and her heart nearly stopped as she heard Booth's voice call from the other side of the door. "Bones? Bones hey I know you're freaked out. I really need to see you, I need to tell you something. "

She bit her lip beneath Darcy's hand, needing to call out for him. But Darcy just pressed harder against her lips. He kept his gun trained on the door, straight towards Booth.

"Bones I know you're in there. I saw your car. I have my key, but I don't want to use it unless you want to see me, I just… I want you to know I'm always going to be there for you."

She heard Booth hesitate before he kept talking. "And it's taken me a long time to say this, I know…but…I have to say it now, so you'll know. I love you. That's it, I love you Bones."

Her heart felt like it had stopped, and she smiled, her tears still falling. She had wished, wanted, hoped that he would tell her he loved her. Prove to her that she wasn't throwing away her life because he like dher as a lay once in a while. And hearing him say it, she realized how stupidly naïve she had been. Booth loved her all along, and she had known it the whole time. She had been selfish and needy in needing him to voice it to her, and now her indecision had lead them to this. She would be to blame if he died. It was all her fault. All her fault, just because she hadn't trusted the one person she needed to.

She wanted to yell out for Booth. Tell him that she loved him too. Darcy gripped her waist angrily and she could feel bruises forming. She felt pain shoot through her neck as he jerked her face towards him quickly.

"Tell him to come in." He whispered viscously at her, and her eyes widened in fear, and she shook her head fervently. His gun was trained exactly on the door, he couldn't shoot Booth, not her Booth.

"Fucking tell him, or I will open the door and shoot you so he can watch." The options were agonizing, either way she would be dead and Booth would have to watch before Darcy shot him straight between the eyes.

"Bones?" She heard Booth again, and her heart leapt, she needed to save him, had to save him.

"Tell him, god damn it!" Darcy pressed the barrel of the gun against her chin again, and she felt her heart hammer hard against her chest in fear.

Her voice was painfully quiet as she called out to him. "Booth? I…I love you too." She was on the verge of tears, and she wondered if he could hear the fear in her voice. She hadn't wanted to tell him like this. Like it was a threat, an ultimatum.

"I'm coming Bones." She heard the clicking as he turned his key in the lock, and Darcy removed his hold on her slightly so he could train the gun on the door where Booth would be emerging from.

The next few seconds moved in slow motion, as the door opened slowly. She saw Darcy's finger move to the trigger, and as he did, his grip on her waist loosened just enough. She saw the look of shock on Booth's face as he saw Darcy and her tear-stained face and the gun. She saw Darcy reach for the trigger, and she pushed away from his grip with every ounce of strength and adrenaline she had, grabbing for the gun in his hand as it let out a huge crack, ringing throughout the apartment.

As Darcy's hand faltered, the gun clattered to the floor loudly. And the three of them stared, before she saw Booth alive, the hole from the bullet inches from his head in the wall. Darcy looked as if he was in shock, and she tried to move towards Booth.

"Booth I'm so sorry, he made me, I didn't mean to, I--," She was cut off as Darcy's fist collided hard with the side of her head again, making her vision blur, as she fell against the side of the couch.

"Shut the fuck up! What the fuck do you think you're doing?!" She felt his fist collide again with her head, and again, hitting her this time against her ribs, and she felt the blunt pain over and over again until each hit was indistinguishable as she curled up, trying to protect her vital organs.

And then he wasn't hitting her anymore, and she looked up, her vision still fuzzy, seeing Booth's arm fist colliding with the side of Darcy's face, pulling him off of her.

Booth hit him again, yelling this time as Darcy stumbled back. She had seen Booth angry before, but never had she seen him this enraged. His eyes were dark, almost black, he didn't seem like the Booth she knew. "You don't fucking touch her! What the fuck is wrong with you?"

This time however, as Booth swung, Darcy was ready, and he dodged Booth's hit, hitting him hard in the stomach. Booth gasped as the wind was knocked out of him, and Darcy took the opportunity hitting him again hard in the lungs, and then again in the face. Booth stumbled backwards, and Brennan tried to move, every part of her aching. She had to help Booth, but Darcy kept hitting him, Booth not able to recover in time to get in another hit, until Booth fell to the floor where Darcy pounded his fist into Booth's face over and over again.

"Darcy! Stop, you're killing him! Please, stop!" She was sobbing now as she screamed, and Darcy ignored her, and hit Booth as if he was a ragdoll.

She saw when the blood poured from his temples and from his nose and lips. She saw when Booth lost consciousness and his head flopped lifelessly from side to side and Darcy hit him again and again. She saw the gun lying next to her on the ground, and her heart ached as Booth slipped away from her quicker and quicker by the second. She couldn't lose him, she needed him, he was like a part of her. She had to do something.

She pulled herself across the floor, kneeling and reaching for the gun, her arms shook, as she raised it and aimed, her fingers trembling around the trigger. For the second time, the crack of the gun was heard around the apartment, and then for a third time, and for a fourth, and blood seeped from Darcy's shirt as he stopped moving, and fell silently to the ground as she dropped the gun with a clatter. Darcy didn't move, and she ran over to both men, her boyfriend and her lover, shoving Darcy's unmoving body aside.

Kneeling over Booth, she put one hand on his cheek, putting her ear to his chest. There was a pulse, thank god, and she could hear him breathing raggedly.

"Booth, Booth, can you hear me?" She put hands on his chest, shaking him. He had to wake up. He was alive, he just had to open his eyes. She hadn't shot a man three times, shot a man who had cared about her, however maniacally, for him to die. He had to open his eyes.

"Please Booth, wake up, god!" She shook him harder, crying again, her fingers covered in the blood that was covering his beaten face. Darcy was lying lifeless next to her, and she could care less, Booth just needed to open his eyes.

He coughed, and opened his eyes slowly, closing them again, and opening them, trying to sit up. She smiled, "Booth, oh god, you're ok, you're ok, the police will be here soon. Help will be here soon."

"Bones," He tried to sit up again, this time pressing himself against the side of the wall , leaning against it as he breathed raggedly.

She wrapped her arms around him, leaning against him, sobbing. She saw his swollen eyes travel to Darcy, bleeding on the floor, and to the gun, and back to Brennan.

"Bones, its ok." She sobbed harder, burying her head into his chest. He could barely move to support her, his arms not able to wrap around her, he leaned down slowly, kissing her head softly. "It's ok."

She could hear sirens from far away, quietly coming in what seemed like slow motion, and she tried to ignore the body of her ex-boyfriend and the gun she had used to shoot him, lying only feet away, as sobbed into Booth's chest. Darcy was gone, Booth was alive, and again, Brennan was completely and utterly lost.

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**_Hit the button my friends, thanks so much, hopefully i dont get eaten by a lion in africa so i can read and write again...haha_**


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